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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 07b - Amendment to the City's General Plan DATE: December 17, 2024 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Jason Kruckeberg, Assistant City Manager/Development Services Director Lisa Flores, Deputy Development Services Director Fiona Graham, Planning Services Manager SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. GPA 24-01 TO ADOPT AN UPDATED SAFETY ELEMENT AND A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT WITHIN THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN CEQA: Negative Declaration Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 7606 approving the General Plan Amendments SUMMARY The Development Services Department has prepared General Plan Amendment (“GPA”) No. 24-01, which updates the General Plan Safety Element, adds a new Environmental Justice (“EJ”) Element, and revises the General Plan Implementation Plan to reflect the new or updated policies and goals. State law mandates that the Safety Element be updated alongside the Housing Element, which was certified in early 2024. The updated Safety Element addresses wildfire and earthquake risks, climate change vulnerability, emergency evacuation routes, and overall community readiness and resilience. In compliance with Senate Bill (“SB”) 1000, the City is also required to adopt an Environmental Justice Element when updating two or more elements simultaneously. The Environmental Justice Element introduces policies and goals to enhance environmental equity across the City. On November 26, 2024, the draft Elements were reviewed by the Planning Commission, and they unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the General Plan Amendments. It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7606 (refer to Attachment No. 1), which includes adopting an Initial Study/Negative Declaration and approving General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01, incorporating the Safety Element Update and the addition of a new Environmental Justice Element to the City’s General Plan. BACKGROUND The City adopted its most recent Housing Element update in 2022, and received certification from the State Housing and Community Development Department (“HCD”) in GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 2 of 9 February 2024, following an extensive rezoning effort. California law requires cities to update their Safety Element and, where applicable, add an Environmental Justice Element, in conjunction with Housing Element updates. These updates are required to ensure compliance with recent changes to State law and to address concerns regarding climate vulnerability, community safety, and environmental justice. These updates are essential to maintaining a comprehensive and legally compliant General Plan that reflects the community’s needs and priorities. The Safety Element is one of the eight (8) required Elements of the General Plan, designed to protect the community from risks such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and other hazards. Recent legislative changes require the integration of climate adaptation, resilience strategies, and evacuation planning into this element. This is largely the result of catastrophic wildfires that have impacted urban and suburban locations throughout the State in recent years. Additionally, for communities with disadvantaged populations as defined by Senate Bill 1000, the development or integration of an Environmental Justice (“EJ”) Element is also required. This Element aims to address health inequities and environmental burdens that disproportionately affect low-income or disadvantaged communities. The City contracted with Dudek in March 2022 to prepare a Safety Element Update in concert with the Housing Element update. Since the City includes a disadvantaged community as defined under State law, and two General Plan elements were being updated concurrently, an EJ Element must also be prepared. To facilitate the completion of an EJ Element, the agreement with Dudek was amended in mid-2023 to also include the preparation of an EJ Element. A Negative Declaration was also prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) for both Elements. DISCUSSION The City has prepared an update of the Safety Element, a new Environmental Justice Element, and associated updates to the Implementation Plan of the General Plan. These changes and updates have been prepared in response to State requirements. Safety Element Update The City’s Safety Element was most recently updated in 2010 as part of a comprehensive General Plan Update. In 2018, SB 1035 went into effect, which requires the City’s General Plan Safety Element to be updated in conjunction with the Housing Element update, to address new requirements and incorporate updated information. The Safety Element of a General Plan aims to protect communities from risks associated with natural and human-made hazards. This Element identifies potential dangers such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and climate-related impacts, and outlines policies and programs to reduce these risks. By addressing hazard mitigation, emergency GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 3 of 9 preparedness, evacuation planning, and community resilience, the Safety Element ensures public safety, infrastructure reliability, and environmental protection, fostering a sustainable and secure future for all residents. The City’s draft updated Safety Element (Attachment No. 2) includes updated and new, policies and goals, which have been prepared to comply with the following State requirements: • SB 379 (2015): Requires the City to address climate adaptation and resiliency through the preparation of a vulnerability assessment, or reliance on a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan that addresses climate adaptation risks and vulnerabilities. • AB 747 (2020): Mandates that the City include an analysis of evacuation routes in the Safety Element. The analysis must assess the capacity, safety, and viability of existing and proposed evacuation routes under a range of emergency scenarios, such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and hazardous material incidents. • SB 99 (2020): Requires the Safety Element to identify residential developments in any hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes. In response to this suite of bills that have been adopted in recent years, the Safety Element has been updated to include: • Three (3) new goals addressing resilience to environmental hazards, such as debris flows and extreme heat, to reduce the potential for loss of life, injury, and property damage during such events. • Two (2) new policies on earthquake preparedness and evacuation route planning, with the aim of reducing loss of life and property damage resulting from earthquakes and other geological hazards. • One (1) new policy on developments in flood areas to minimize risks and prevent isolation from essential services and facilities during a flood event. • Four (4) new policies and various other updated policies on reducing the impacts of wildfire. These changes aim to reduce the impacts from wildland and urban fires through ongoing maintenance, appropriate building location and design, vegetation management, and by ensuring ongoing adequate water supply. • Five (5) new policies on effective emergency and disaster response preparedness. The new policies aim to improve resilience in the community through education, GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 4 of 9 interagency coordination, and maintaining essential public facilities and infrastructure needed during emergencies. • Various other updates and text cleanups to improve readability, provide current information and update recent programs and projects, and to comply with the various State bills. Throughout preparation of the Safety Element Update, the City’s Fire Department – being the City’s emergency preparedness lead – worked with the Development Services Department, providing information for inclusion in the draft document, and feedback on proposed changes. After its completion, the draft Safety Element Update and changes to the General Plan Implementation Plan were reviewed by the Fire Department for compliance with existing policies, programs, and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (“Cal Fire”) was required to review the City’s draft Safety Element to ensure wildfire hazards were adequately mapped and addressed, in compliance with Government Code Section 65302(g)(3). CalFire’s Resource Protection Committee reviewed the draft Safety Element and issued approval on October 31, 2023. For the full text of the updated Safety Element, refer to Attachment No. 2. Environmental Justice Element In 2016, the California Legislature passed SB 1000, which aims to improve the health of local jurisdictions in California through adoption of an Environmental Justice (“EJ”) Element in its General Plan. An EJ Element must identify disadvantaged communities in the City and is required to incorporate objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in those disadvantaged communities, promote civic engagement in the public decision-making process, and prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of the disadvantaged communities. A “disadvantaged community” is an area that is low income and has high levels of environmental pollution. Disadvantaged communities are disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation. The City of Arcadia has one disadvantaged community as mapped on CalEnviroScreen – a portion of Census Tract 4325, shown below. Although this area technically meets the criteria to be identified as a disadvantaged community within Arcadia, the Census Tract is entirely zoned for light industrial uses. The remainder of Census Tract 4325 is within the City of El Monte and comprises a residential neighborhood (refer to Figure 1). SB 1000 does not take into account the number of residents when defining a disadvantaged GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 5 of 9 community. Since Census Tract 4325 is a disadvantaged community, the City is required to prepare an EJ Element. As part of the preparation of the EJ Element, the City was required to invite the residents of Arcadia to learn about environmental justice and provide input. The community meeting was advertised in the Arcadia Weekly newspaper, social media outlets, and to all the interested parties that had asked to be notified. The City held a virtual community meeting on October 11, 2023. The community meeting included a discussion on seven different environmental justice topics. These workshop discussions were then used to inform the preparation of the EJ Element in conjunction with research on best practices and established City priorities. Figure 1: Arcadia Zoning and the boundary of Census Tract 4325 (red dashed line), an identified “Disadvantaged Community” GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 6 of 9 The draft EJ Element includes a discussion on seven areas of environmental justice, as required by SB 1000. They are: • Active and Public Transportation • Climate Change • Healthy Food • Parks and Public Facilities • Pollution • Safe and Sanitary Housing • Community Engagement From these areas of discussion, four goals and 11 policies were included in the draft EJ Element that respond to the unique and specific circumstances found within Arcadia. These goals and policies primarily amend or enhance existing programs already implemented in the City by prioritizing environmental justice goals. For example, Policy 1.6 is to “continue to update truck route maps that minimize exposure to sensitive land uses”. This policy ensures that when the City’s truck route maps are updated, new routes take sensitive land uses (such as disadvantaged residential communities) into consideration, with the aim of reducing pollution on those uses. New implementation actions are included in the General Plan Implementation Plan to effectuate the new EJ policies. For the full text of the new EJ Element, please see Attachment No. 3. Implementation Plan The Safety Element section of the Implementation Plan has been updated to reflect the new and revised goals and policies prepared as part of this amendment. Three (3) new programs have been included, and eight (8) existing programs have had substantive changes made to reflect the new goals and policies within the draft Safety Element update. In addition, eight (8) new programs are included to implement the goals and policies of the new EJ Element. In addition to the updates necessary to implement the Safety and EJ Elements, minor cleanups throughout the document have been undertaken for improved readability and internal consistency. The full text of the updated Implementation Plan can be found as Attachment No. 4. FINDINGS 1. The amendment is internally consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan. Facts in Support of the Finding: The City’s General Plan Safety Element focuses on identifying, avoiding or mitigating hazards present in the environment that may adversely affect property and lives. The Safety Element update will further strengthen this aim by GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 7 of 9 addressing the increasing risks associated with climate change, and by updating information on Very High Fire Hazard Areas, and evacuation routes. These updates serve to bring the Safety Element into compliance with State law, and also reflect changes that have occurred in the City and environment over the past decade since the Safety Element was previously adopted. Changes and updates to the Safety Element’s goals and policies are consistent with the other elements in the General Plan. The new Environmental Justice Element will be consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan. The new policies and implementation actions have been prepared to enhance existing policies and programs contained within the General Plan by prioritizing or emphasizing environmental justice goals. The Environmental Justice Element also recognizes that many existing policies within other Elements already support environmental justice goals. These existing policies have been identified within the Environmental Justice Element. Therefore, the Safety Element update and the Environmental Justice Element are consistent with the goals of the General Plan and with all other provisions within other Elements. 2. The proposed amendment will not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or general welfare of the City. Facts in Support of the Finding: The proposed amendments are in the public’s interests by furthering the General Plan’s goals of creating a safe, healthy and resilient community. The updated Safety Element includes new and revised policies and goals, which will improve safety and reduce risk from hazards in the City. In compliance with State law, the new goals and policies will focus on managing the impacts of a changing climate, improving resilience in the community, and ensuring adequate and safe evacuation routes for all of Arcadia. The new Environmental Justice Element aims to improve environmental equity throughout the City by implementing new policies and goals to promote and prioritize environmental justice. The Environmental Justice Element promotes equitable access to clean air, safe housing, and reliable transportation, improving overall quality of life, which supports the health, safety, and general welfare of the City’s residents. In addition to furthering the public’s interest, the proposed amendments were analyzed to ensure that there are no impacts to the public’s health, safety, or welfare resulting from the changes. In accordance with CEQA guidelines, a Negative Declaration was prepared. The Negative Declaration concluded that no significant impacts would result from the updated Safety Element and new Environmental Justice Element. Therefore, the proposed General Plan amendment would not be detrimental to the public’s health, safety or welfare, and is in the public’s interest. Based on the foregoing and the totality of the record, the required findings can be met. GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 8 of 9 PLANNING COMMISSION The Safety Element Update and new Environmental Justice Element were presented to the Planning Commission at their regular meeting on November 26, 2024, for consideration and recommendation to the City Council – refer to Attachment No. 5 for Planning Commission Resolution No. 2017, Planning Commission Staff Report, and excerpt of the minutes. After discussion, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the Safety Element Update and the new Environmental Justice Element to the City Council, along with their changes. As a result, an “errata” sheet has been prepared for each of the Draft Elements and the Implementation Plan, detailing all changes to the original drafts – refer to Attachment Nos. 2, 3, and 4. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed General Plan Amendment has been assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) and CEQA Guidelines. An Initial Study/Negative Declaration (“IS/ND”) has been prepared for the GPA for the City, as the lead agency. The IS/ND was prepared consistent with the requirements of the CEQA and on the basis that there is no substantial evidence that there may be significant environmental impacts on specific environmental areas – refer to Attachment No. 6. In fact, the entire basis for updating the Safety Element, and the creation of the EJ Element, is to ensure that policies and programs are protecting the environment and the health, safety, and welfare of residents, which is one of the overarching goals of CEQA. The IS/ND was made available for public review from October 24, 2024, to November 25, 2024. A Notice of Intent to adopt the IS/ND was published in the newspaper on October 24, 2024, posted on the City’s website, and posted at the L.A. County Clerk’s Office on October 24, 2024. A copy of the IS/ND was made available on the City’s website, at the Planning Division office, and at the Arcadia Public Library. During this time, public agencies, organizations, and the public in general, were afforded the opportunity to review the Draft IS/ND and submit written comments regarding the documents and the proposed project. The City received one comment letter from the office of the Attorney General acknowledging preparation of the Environmental Justice Element; however, no comments on the Draft IS/ND were made. PUBLIC NOTICE/COMMENTS In addition to the noticing completed for the public review period, as discussed above, a public hearing notice for this item was published in the Arcadia Weekly, and posted at the City Clerk’s Office, City Council Chambers, the Arcadia Public Library, and on the City’s website on October 24, 2024, and again on December 5, 2024. As of December 12, 2024, no additional comments were received related to the General Plan Amendment. GPA 24-01 - Safety Element Update and New Environmental Justice Element December 17, 2024 Page 9 of 9 FISCAL IMPACT Approval of the draft Safety Element Update and new EJ Element will not result in a direct fiscal impact to the City. Implementation of the goals and policies within the updated Safety Element and new EJ Element will improve the safety and wellbeing of the City and its residents. Implementation of policies and programs is expected to be largely accomplished within the work programs of existing City Departments. Any new programs or substantive changes to existing programs resulting from this General Plan Amendment will be brought before the City Council prior to commencement, and the specific fiscal impact of each action will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis, as these recommended strategies are presented. Failure to adopt the required General Plan Elements in a timely manner could result in legal challenges and significant costs to the City. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7606, which includes adopting the Initial Study/Negative Declaration and approving General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01, incorporating the Safety Element Update and the addition of a new Environmental Justice Element to the City’s General Plan. Attachment No. 1: Resolution No. 7606 Attachment No. 2: Errata Sheet and Draft Safety Element Update Attachment No. 3: Errata Sheet and Draft Environmental Justice Element Attachment No. 4: Errata Sheet and Draft Implementation Plan Update Attachment No. 5: Excerpt of Planning Commission minutes dated November 26, 2024, Resolution No. 2017, and November 26, 2024 Planning Commission Staff Report. The attachments to the Planning Commission staff report can be found at www.arcadiaca.gov/generalplan Attachment No. 6: Draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration Attachment No. 1 Attachment No. 1 Resolution No. 7606 Attachment No. 2 Attachment No. 2 Errata Sheet and Draft Safety Element Update Errata sheet – Safety Element Page Number Before After 8-4 1st paragraph “greenhouse gas concentrations are expected to cause a variety of changes to local climate conditions” 1st paragraph revised to say: “greenhouse gas concentrations may cause a variety of changes to local climate conditions” 8-5 Vulnerabilities Populations Limited English-Speak Households “In California, approximately 9% of households have limited English skills, while 17% of the households in Arcadia have limited English skills.” Vulnerabilities Populations Limited English-Speak Households Language updated as follows, for clarity and consistency with the Environmental Justice Element: “In California, approximately 9% of households have limited English skills, while 17% of the households in Arcadia have limited English skills.” (with regards to residents five years of age and older, 30.7% of Arcadians compared to 17.9% of Californians are limited English speakers).” 8-7 Residential Buildings 2nd paragraph “Designated cooling centers or publicly available City facilities can, at times, augment these conditions and provide people places to cool off.” Residential Buildings 2nd paragraph revised to say: “Designated cooling centers or publicly available City facilities can, at times, augment these conditions and provide people with places to cool off.” 8-7 to 8-8 Critical facilities “None of these facilities are at elevated risk of flooding.” Critical facilities Revised to say: “None of these facilities are at an elevated risk of flooding.” 8-26 Completed Dam Projects 1st paragraph “This project restored 185 acre-feet of stormwater storage capacity in Santa Anita Reservoir by removing approximately 330,000 cubic yards (495,000 tons) of sediment removal project from the reservoir and placing at the Santa Anita Reservoir to increase reservoir capacity and ensure Sediment Placement Site.” Completed Dam Projects 1st paragraph updated as follows: “This project restored 185 acre-feet of stormwater storage capacity in Santa Anita Reservoir by removing approximately 330,000 cubic yards (495,000 tons) of sediment removal project from the reservoir and placing it at the Santa Anita Reservoir to increase reservoir capacity and ensure Sediment Placement Site.” 8-27 Upcoming Dam Projects 1st paragraph “As a result, Los Angeles County Public Works has initiated the Santa Anita Reservoir Post-Fire Emergency Restoration Project to remove an Upcoming Dam Projects 1st paragraph updated as follows: “As a result, Los Angeles County Public Works initiated the Santa Anita Reservoir Post-Fire Emergency Restoration Project which removed an estimated 300,000 to estimated 300,000 to 400,000 cubic yards of sediment from the reservoir and placing it at the Santa Anita Sediment Placement Site. This emergency sediment removal project is necessary to protect the dam’s outlet works and to restore capacity in the reservoir for flood protection and water conservation operations. Construction started in early 2023 and is to be completed by the end of 2024.” 400,000 cubic yards of sediment from the reservoir and placed it at the Santa Anita Sediment Placement Site (SPS). This emergency sediment removal project was necessary to protect the dam’s outlet works and to restore capacity in the reservoir for flood protection and water conservation operations. Construction started in early 2023 and was completed in November 2024. Work will continue at the SPS until mid-2025.” 8-27 Upcoming Dam Projects 2nd paragraph “Los Angeles County Public Works has also initiated the Santa Anita Debris Dam Seismic Strengthening Project to meet compliance with California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams’ seismic stability requirements and restore 119 acres-feet of stormwater storage capacity at the debris dam.” Upcoming Dam Projects 2nd paragraph updated as follows: “Los Angeles County Public Works has also initiated the Santa Anita Debris Dam Seismic Strengthening Project to meet compliance with California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams’ seismic stability requirements and to restore 119 acres-feet of stormwater storage capacity at the debris dam.” 8-39 “As of 2022, eleven large quantity generators are located in Arcadia. Of the eleven large quantity generators most deal with medical waste…” Text updated as follows: “As of 2024, 11 large quantity generators are located in Arcadia. Of the 11 large quantity generators most deal with medical waste…..” 8-40 Figure S-9 Error found in map: The map did include all the Hazardous Material Sites. Figure S-9 The map has been updated to reflect all the current Hazardous Materials Sites 8-45 Fire Prevention and Emergency Services Programs “In 2007 2019, members of the Arcadia Fire Department conducted 3,714 3,399 fire inspections of businesses and residences to review new construction, perform annual life safety inspections, and ensure fire code compliance.” Update dates and numbers as follows: “In 2007 2023, members of the Arcadia Fire Department conducted 3,714 3,461 fire inspections of businesses and residences to review new construction, perform annual life safety inspections, and ensure fire code compliance.” 8-46 3rd paragraph “In 2007 2022, the Fire Department organized 18 public education tours of fire stations and 51 demonstrations for the Arcadia Unified School District and various community organizations.” Update dates and numbers as follows: “In 2007 2024, the Fire Department organized 18 31 public education tours of fire stations and 51 24 demonstrations for the Arcadia Unified School District and various community organizations.” 8-57 Figure S-10 Error found in map: identifying ‘points’ were duplicated for some locations Figure S-10 Map revised – all the duplicate points were removed. d. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-1 Chapter 8: SAFETY ELEMENT A r c a d i a G e n e r a l P l a n Introduction Community safety issues influence many decisions people make, from big decisions such as where to live or spend leisure time, to small decisions such as identifying the time of day they feel comfortable walking alone. When thinking about where to buy a home, people may consider whether a hillside location near a wildfire zone is of concern. In budgeting decisions, elected bodies allocate funds to fire and law enforcement services commensurate with overall public safety objectives. Critical to these decision processes is knowing Knowing the hazards present in a community and establishing safety standards is critical to these decision processes. By identifying threats to our safety, we can better guard against disasters and develop effective response plans. This Safety Element identifies, evaluates, and addresses local and regional safety issues and establishes the goals, policies, and actions that will help reduce loss of life, injuries, property loss, environmental damage, and social and economic disruption from natural and human-caused disasters. These issues are addressed within the context of: ▪ Environmental hazards ▪ Human-caused hazards ▪ Threats to national security ▪ Emergency services ▪ Emergency preparedness ▪ Chronic climate hazards 8-2 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 The goals, policies, and programs in this element are shaped around three approaches that are integral to Arcadia’s plan for a safe community: (1) avoidingmitigating hazards and threats through careful planning, (2) being prepared to respond to any and all crisis situations to minimize injury or loss, and (3) educating the public of best safety practices so that the community does its part to improve public safety. Achieving Our Vision Residents and businesses look to the City of Arcadia (City) to protect the community from threats to public safety. Maintaining a safe community requires constant assessment of the City’s Arcadia’s needs regarding emergency preparedness and hazards mitigation. While the City has no control over earthquakes or landslides, it can establish policies that minimize exposure to impacts from these hazards. Our vision is to create a City city where residents and businesses are and feel safe. In Arcadia, we go to work, school, and shopping shop knowing that our police and fire departments, as well as many volunteers and involved residents, safeguard our homes, places of business, and local institutions. The City of Arcadia is committed to public safety and creating a community where exposure of residents and businesses to hazards is minimized. The City incorporates public safety considerations into its planning and decision-making processes. The City is committed to providing rapid and effective emergency response and coordinating with regional agencies toward these objectives. This Guiding Principle The following guiding principle reflects our commitment to providing the necessary services to create safe environments citywide: City Services The high-quality services the City provides are a source of civic pride and bring us together as a community. We adjust service needs in response to demographic changes and we take actions to provide funding to support these services. Keeping Arcadia safe is a theme addressed throughout the General Plan. The Land Use and Community Design Element limits the range of land uses allowed in hazardous areas to reduce the number of people and buildings exposed to risk. Objectives and policies in the Circulation and Infrastructure Element aim to make Arcadia a safe place to drive, bike, and walk. The Noise Element establishes policies and priorities to protect residents from noise related to traffic and business operations. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-3 Scope of this Element The Safety Element is one of the General Plan elements required by State law. The City has long emphasized a proactive approach to public safety planning, which involves identifying and avoiding or mitigating hazards present in the environment that may adversely affect property and threaten lives. California Government Code Sections 65317%02(g) and 65302(f) identify several issues to consider in such planning efforts, as does California Health and Safety Code Section 56050.1. In Arcadia, issues of concern are as follows: ▪ Seismic hazards, including seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, and ground failure ▪ Dam/reservoir failure ▪ Non-seismic ground failure such as slope instability leading to mudslides, landslides, and liquefaction, and debris flows ▪ Flooding ▪ Wildland and urban fires ▪ Presence and transport of hazardous materials ▪ Law enforcement and crime prevention ▪ Emergency services ▪ Extreme heat The City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan works in tandem with this Safety Element to assess and address hazards. Local Hazard Mitigation Plans must meet certain Federal requirements, whereas Safety Elements follow State requirements. Both plans include policies and actions for the City to undertake, which means that consistency across plans is important. As allowed by California Government Code Section 65302.6, this Safety Element adopts the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and all future updates by reference, and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan can be found on the City’s website. 8-4 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Environmental Law and Changes in Climate Influencing Safety Through the passage of Senate Bill 379, the State of California directed cities to evaluate and address the projected impacts of a changing climate in safety elements and develop policies that adapt to the changing conditions. Over the next century, increasing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations may cause a variety of changes to local climate conditions, including changes in precipitation and higher temperatures. These factors, either individually or in combination, may contribute to an increase in the frequency and intensity of secondary local climate effects such as human health hazards, drought, extreme heat events, extreme precipitation and flooding, debris flow, landslides, and wildfires. In 2024, the City undertook revisions to the Safety Element to address Senate Bill 379 and strive to become a more climate resilient city. Addressing climate change requires local governments to consider an integrated approach in developing strategies to reduce vulnerability to projected climate change effects, increase the local capacity to adapt, and build resilience. A climate resilient city is one that is prepared to maintain a continuity of essential services and functions while protecting the most vulnerable during hazardous events and continually adapting in the face of change. As a part of the City’s integrated approach, the flooding and wildfire sections of the Safety Element were revised to include climate change projections, updated data, and best practice policies and implementation actions. Emerging hazards, such as extreme heat and debris flows, were added as new hazards. Table S-1 is provided as a tool to help the reader understand the relationship of climate change to both existing and emerging hazards within Arcadia, as well as where to locate climate resilience policies. TABLE S-1. READER’S GUIDE TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE SAFETY ELEMENT Hazard Relationship to Climate Change Section of Safety Element (Associated Goal) Debris Flows Emerging and potentially increasing due to climate change Emerging Hazards (S-3) Extreme Heat Emerging and potentially increasing due to climate change Emerging Hazards (S-2) Flooding Existing and impacted by climate change Environmental Hazards (S-5) Fire Existing and impacted by climate change Environmental Hazards (S-6) ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-5 TABLE S-1. READER’S GUIDE TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE SAFETY ELEMENT Hazard Relationship to Climate Change Section of Safety Element (Associated Goal) Fire Protection and Emergency Services Existing and impacted by climate change Emergency Services (S-8) Emergency Preparedness Existing and impacted by climate change Emergency Preparedness (S-9) Vulnerabilities Climate change does not affect all people equally, leading to some to be more vulnerable than others. For example some people have physical conditions that make them more sensitive to heat or cause them to need assistance when evacuating. Other households may lack the socio-economic resources to prepare for or recover from hazards. Structures and infrastructure can also be especially vulnerable to certain aspects of climate change due to their location or features. These vulnerabilities and their prevalence in Arcadia are described below. Populations People with Disabilities People with disabilities are medically vulnerable and can have a challenging time evacuating, making them vulnerable to wildfire and flooding. Disabilities can range from having difficulty moving around or requiring a service animal to relying on medical equipment to survive. Specific evacuation plans or databases and services that address the needs of people with disabilities can address this vulnerability. Approximately 9% of the residents of Arcadia are disabled, which is less than the percentage in the state as a whole. Limited English-Speaking Households Households with no adult English speakers can have a difficult time accessing public health information, making them vulnerable to all hazards. Translating materials into all relevant languages, as well as working with places of worship and other organizations that serve these residents, is important to effectively disseminate hazard and hazard response information. In California, approximately 9% of households have limited English skills, while 17% of the households in Arcadia have limited English skills (with regards to residents five years of age and older, 30.7% of Arcadians compared to 17.9% of Californians are limited English speakers). The vast majority of these households primarily speak an Asian or Pacific Island language. 8-6 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Low-Income Households Low-income households are vulnerable to several hazards, and the lower a household’s income, the more at risk they will be. Extreme heat can be more detrimental to low-income households because they may not have air conditioning or may not be able to afford running their air conditioning. This can lead to heat-related health issues. Additionally, destructive hazards like flooding or wildfires can destroy possessions and require expensive repairs that low-income households may not be able to afford. This means issues like hazard-driven displacement are more likely for low-income households. These issues can be remedied to a degree by offering programs for income- qualified households, such as utility cost reductions or various forms of post-disaster assistance. As of 2024, the area median income for four-person households in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area was $98,200. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, low-income households make between 50% and 80% of the area median income, and very low-income households make below 50%. By these standards, approximately 15% of households in Arcadia are considered low-income, and 25% of households are considered very low-income. These percentages are similar to the State of California as a whole, but still represent a major group of vulnerable people in Arcadia. Renters Renters are less likely to invest in their homes, such as by upgrading to fire-safe building materials. Renters are also more likely to be displaced after a hazard as they are often under-insured and cannot access recovery benefits available to homeowners. These characteristics make renters more vulnerable to wildfire. Approximately 40% of the households in Arcadia are renters, which is a lower rate than that of California and the region as a whole. Older Adults Older adults are physically more vulnerable to extreme heat events. Older adults may also have trouble evacuating on their own, and therefore may also be vulnerable to wildfire. Additionally, once evacuated, older adults may have medication that requires refrigeration, such as insulin. Connecting older adults to neighbors and relevant services can address these vulnerabilities. In Arcadia, 1 in 5 residents is 65 years or older, slightly higher than State and regional proportions. Approximately 7% of households are seniors living alone. Uninsured People Similar to low-income residents, uninsured people have a reduced ability to recover after a devastating hazard. Health insurance is important for both acute and chronic health issues, and its benefits span all hazards. Renters, home, and car insurance are also potentially beneficial if a hazard, like a wildfire, were to destroy an individual’s property. Some types of insurance can be hazard-specific, like flood insurance, and are especially beneficial for homes that are in certain risk areas. Sometimes this type of insurance is required for ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-7 homeowners. Specific to health insurance, about 7% of Californians are uninsured, whereas only 4% of Arcadia’s residents are uninsured. Built Environment Residential Buildings Arcadia’s residents make it the community that it is, so it is important to discuss how the homes of Arcadia residents are projected to be impacted by climate change. Related to extreme heat, residents in homes without air conditioning are vulnerable. Designated cooling centers or publicly available City facilities can, at times, augment these conditions and provide people with places to cool off. Specific to flooding, no residential areas in the City are within current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood zones; however, climate change is projected to increase the occurrence of flooding and may cause expanded flood zones in the future. Since 2015, all development and redevelopment projects in Arcadia have had to comply with the latest County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Low Impact Development Standards Manual. However, these development standards do not address existing developments, which make up the vast majority of the city. Over 1,000 residential parcels in northern Arcadia overlap with Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZs), meaning they’re at elevated risk of wildfire. Arcadia’s municipal code is compliant with fire safe building standards above what is required by the State; however, these standards only apply to new buildings. A significant number of older buildings do not meet the current California Building Code for building materials and other regulations. Additionally, defensible space requirements are a common issue, and a homeowner’s compliance can vary from year to year as a given parcel’s vegetation and maintenance fluctuate. The fire department conducts ongoing public education and an annual brush clearance program to lower the potential risk of a fire spreading within Arcadia. The U.S. Forest Service, FEMA, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and County of Los Angeles also contribute to regional public education and fire mitigation strategies. Again, debris flows have more potential to occur in the northern portion of Arcadia, which is mainly populated by single-family residential homes and open space. Over the years as wildfires occur or conditions change, residences may become more at risk. Critical Facilities Critical facilities provide emergency response, such as hospitals, fire stations, police stations, emergency operations centers, and ambulance services. Other critical facilities are places that can be flexibly used as shelters or gathering places during emergencies, such as schools or other public assembly facilities with capacities greater than 100 people. None of these facilities are at 8-8 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 an elevated risk of flooding. Two schools, Highland Oaks Elementary School and Foothills Middle School, are within Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Infrastructure Infrastructure includes elements of the built environment that supply community members with daily needs, such as transportation, power, and water. Each type of infrastructure may be impacted by climate change differently. Roads are the most common form of transportation infrastructure, and their function is especially important during hazards that cause evacuation events. Maintenance and improvements that ensure roads meet emergency access standards are most important in the northern portion of Arcadia that is in the VHFHSZ. Roads also have the ability to cause the urban heat island effect; incorporating more reflective materials can mitigate this issue in key locations or citywide depending on the feasibility. The power grid is another major piece of infrastructure. In recent years, power outages have often been attributed to wildfires. Across the State, public safety power shutoffs have been implemented during times of elevated fire risk to prevent fires from starting. Less than 5% of the major electric transmission lines in Arcadia are within the VHFHSZ. Additionally, using air conditioning during extreme heat events can elevate energy demand and cause rolling blackouts. Effective outreach can mitigate this issue by requesting that residents and businesses alter the time that they use certain appliances like dish washers or washing machines during extreme heat events. Water infrastructure is another technology critical to Arcadia’s normal functions. Much of water supply planning is unrelated to the Safety Element; however, an adequate supply of water is needed for fire suppression. Arcadia’s main sources of water are local groundwater pumped from the Main Basin and Raymond Basin, as well as imported surface water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. These sources, along with measures to conserve and recycle water, are projected to easily accommodate future water demands, including those of the Arcadia Fire Department. City Facilities City facilities are City-owned and operated but do not include emergency response capabilities (see Emergency Response Facilities, below). They include places like parks, libraries, and various City offices. Arcadia’s Wilderness Park is the only City facility that is at elevated hazard risk from both wildfire and debris flows. The 2020 Bobcat fire and subsequent 2021 debris flow occurred near this park and as of 2024 is being mitigated. Other City facilities can offer amenities that fill gaps in resident resilience. Places like the Arcadia Community Center and Library can offer air-conditioned places for the public. Furthermore, parks across Arcadia offer healthy urban canopies that can reduce the impacts of extreme heat and flooding. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-9 Emerging Hazards Long-term shifts in local climate conditions, including changes in precipitation and higher temperatures, have led to new emerging hazards within Arcadia. As detailed in the California Climate Change Assessment, climate change has already begun to affect the Los Angeles region, including Arcadia, and preparing for future hazard events, including new emerging hazards, is imperative for the safety of residents of Arcadia. Extreme Heat Extreme heat is a hazard that includes hotter days, warmer nights, and heat waves. It can result in heat-related illness and hospitalization and can be especially deadly to sensitive individuals such as older adults and people who are unhoused. An extreme heat day is relative to what a community is used to. In Arcadia, an extreme heat day is any day hotter than 101°F. Extreme heat most commonly occurs in the summer and early fall in Arcadia. Average daily high temperatures are around 79°F from June through September. The record high temperatures range from 91°F to 111°F. Climate change is expected to increase the average temperature year-round and the frequency of extreme heat days. Annually, Arcadia is forecasted to experience about five times more extreme heat days from 2020 to 2050 than historically. Heat waves, or times when there are at least four days of extreme heat in a row, are also expected to increase. Before 1990, heat waves were extremely rare in Arcadia, but between 2020 and 2050, two heat waves are projected to occur annually. Heat waves and extreme heat days are made worse by the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect inflates average annual urban air temperatures 1.8°F to 5.4°F. Heat islands also increase energy demand for air conditioning. Reducing dark urban surfaces can minimize the urban heat island effect. This can be done by using light-colored or reflective building materials, or increasing vegetation and shade trees. Figure S-1 illustrates the urban heat island effect. An “extreme heat day” is hotter than 98% of the historical (pre-1990) average. This is 101.5 degrees in Arcadia. The urban heat island effect occurs when dark urban surfaces, such as roofs and roads, absorb heat and slowly release it over time. During the day, this elevates regular temperatures around these surfaces. At night, these surfaces continue to transfer their stored heat to the air, creating warmer nights that do not allow people to cool off. 8-10 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Figure S-1 Greenery and the Urban Heat Island Effect ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-11 Debris Flows Debris flows (also known as mudslides) occur when rain causes a hillside to lose stability and flow downslope. Generally, this happens because the slope was disturbed prior to a heavy rainfall. Common slope disturbances include wildfires or humans clearing vegetation away and removing previously stable root systems. This type of hazard event is not new to Arcadia. After the 2020 Bobcat Fire, heavy rains in December of 2021 caused a disruptive debris flow in northern Arcadia. Because this hazard is commonly tied to both wildfire and flooding, it is more likely to occur in the future due to climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of both hazards. Future debris flows are difficult to predict but are expected to impact areas in and around northern Arcadia’s foothills because of the topology and wildfire risk in that area. Goals and Policies Extreme heat and debris flows are highlighted as emerging hazards that require response in the form of green solutions and future studies. Vulnerable people and properties are also important, as climate change does not impact everyone the same. Refining and developing programs can prioritize and improve resilience for vulnerable groups, while capital improvements can be made to vulnerable structures. Goals and policies in regard to climate change and emerging hazards are as follows: Goal S-1: Minimized potential for loss of life, physical injury, property damage, and economic burden resulting from the impacts of climate change Policy S-1.1: Support policies and programs to incentivize/encourage improving resilience to local infrastructure networks vulnerable to increasingly extreme weather events. Policy S-1.2: Support policies and programs to engage with residents, including non-English speaking communities, making them aware of the risks of extreme events and providing information on ways to preserve health. Policy S-1.3: Explore potential grants, programs, and partnerships to reduce cost burdens related to households addressing changing hazards. 8-12 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Goal S-2: A built environment protected from extreme heat Policy S-2.1: Maintain a healthy urban forest to reduce extreme heat. Policy S-2.2: Adopt policies and standards for the built environment that reduce the urban heat island effect. Goal S-3: Retrofitted Infrastructure Prepared for Increased Debris Flows Policy S-3.1: Review the performance of culverts and other flood-related infrastructure in recent debris flow events to determine a list of potential improvements required for hazard mitigation. Policy S-3.2: Continue to provide alert/emergency notification processes and provide public information and awareness materials for those who live in debris flow hazard areas, as determined by fire risk, slope, and past debris flow events. Environmental Hazards Arcadia’s location adjacent to the San Gabriel Mountains exposes the City to several environmental conditions that have shaped local landforms and now affect how certain properties can be used and developed. Seismic and Geologic Concerns The Southern California landscape clearly reveals the earth forces that we live with daily. The mountain ranges are expressions of extensive faulting and movement of the plates that comprise the earth’s surface, with local tectonic activity continuing to push the San Gabriel Mountains upward at rate of up to 2 centimeters per year. The San Gabriel Mountains’ steep slopes historically caused massive volumes of rocks and debris to flow down into the San Gabriel Valley during periods of heavy rain, creating the rocky alluvial soils that underlie Arcadia. However, major public works projects in the mountains during the last century have largely contained both storm water stormwater runoff and debris flows. Nonetheless, Arcadia the City still needs to plan for the earthquakes, secondary seismic effects, and geologic conditions that will continue to be of concern. Earthquakes that generate strong ground shaking and surface fault ruptures are considered primary seismic hazards; secondary hazards resulting from seismic activity include landslides, liquefaction, ground fissures, and seiches (wave oscillation of the surface of water in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water such as a reservoir or lake). Earthquakes and their related effects ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-13 have the greatest potential to impact a large portion of the population. Landslides and ground subsidence have more localized effects. Earthquakes An earthquake is the result of movement and shifting of the earth’s surface. Movement occurs along fractures or faults, which represent the contact point between two or more geologic formations. Earth movement, known as seismic activity, causes pressure to build up along a fault, and the release of pressure results in the ground shaking effects we call an earthquake. Earthquake-related hazards have the potential to cause serious damage, injury, and death if the seismic event is large enough to generate short duration, high- peak ground accelerations (ground motion) or long duration, moderate to high ground acceleration. Fault rupture through a structure would likely cause significant damage and may cause collapse of walls and ceilings. Normal foundations would be dislocated and rendered unusable. Combined with strong ground shaking, rupture is a very serious hazard. Rupture can also result in damage to utilities infrastructure and water lines, natural gas lines, and power lines, and sewer system interruptions. Streets could be passable with some difficulty if fault motion is horizontal. Vertical fault offsets could render streets impassable for emergency traffic, except to high-ground clearance vehicles with four-wheel drive. Located along the southern slope of the San Gabriel Mountains, the City of Arcadia is situated within a very seismically active area of Southern California.1 There are currently five documented faults, fault zones, or groundwater barriers that may be faults that underlie Arcadia, each having different potential impacts (Figures S-12 and S-23): ▪ Raymond fault ▪ Sierra Madre fault zone and associated groundwater barriers ▪ Puente Hills (blind thrust) ▪ Upper Elysian Park (blind thrust) ▪ Eaton Wash groundwater barrier The two active and potentially active faults that pass through Arcadia and are evident at the ground surface (or just below it) are the Sierra Madre and Raymond faults. Deep beneath the City are two so-called blind thrust faults: the shallower Upper Elysian Park fault and the deeper Puente Hills fault. They are called blind thrust faults due to their depth and the fact that fault movement consists of upward or thrusting action. The Eaton Wash groundwater barrier shows no surface geologic evidence of existence, and the nature of this possible buried fault is not known. In addition to these local faults, another 20 faults have been identified within a 35-mile radius of City Hall (see Table S-12). 1 A detailed Seismic and Geologic Technical Background Report (2008) is included as an appendix to the General Plan. 8-14 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Ground Shaking Ground shaking is the general term that refers to all aspects of movement of the earth’s surface resulting from a seismic event. Ground shaking is normally the major cause of damage in earthquakes, and the amount of damage generally correlates to the magnitude and proximity to the event’s epicenter. If any of the faults within a 35-mile radius were to achieve their maximum earthquake potential, the Raymond, Sierra Madre, Puente Hills, Clamshell- Sawpit, Upper Elysian Park, and Verdugo faults represent those faults with the most potential for causing damage in the City to Arcadia due to ground shaking. TABLE S-12. FAULTS NEAR ARCADIA Fault Name Approximate Distance from Arcadia City Hall Clamshell-Sawpit 3.6 miles Verdugo-Eagle Rock 5.2 miles Whittier 8.5 miles San Jose 9.4 miles Hollywood 11 miles Cucamonga 16 miles Chino-Central Avenue (Elsinore) 16.4 miles Sierra Madre (San Fernando) 17.6 miles San Gabriel 18.6 miles Newport-Inglewood (L.A. Basin) 20.7 miles Santa Monica 22.1 miles Northridge 23.2 miles San Andreas (Carrizo-Big Bend) 23.8 miles San Andreas (San Bernardino) 23.8 miles San Andreas (Mojave North/South) 23.8 miles Malibu Coast 28.5 miles Palos Verdes 29.1 miles Santa Susana 29.1 miles Elsinore (Glen Ivy) 30.2 miles San Joaquin Hills 31.1 miles Source: Wilson Geosciences Inc. 2008. Seismic and Geologic Technical Background Report for the City of Arcadia General Plan Update. September 2008. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-15 Figure S-2 Regional Faults Upper Elysian Park Fault Los Angeles Segment 10k m 5km 5km 10km 15km 10km 15km 5k m 5k m 15k m N e w p o r t - I n g l e w o o d F a u l t Z o n e N e w p o r t - I n g l e w o o d F a u l t Z o n e Whit t i e r F a u l t Z o n e A l h a m b r a W a s h - E a s t M o n t e b e l l o F a u l t Santa Fe Springs Segment Coyote Hills Segment 5km 10km Cla m s h e l l -S a w p i t F a u lt Sierra Mad r e Fault Zone Sie r r a M a d r e F a u l t Z o n e 2k m San A n d r e a s F a u l t Z o n e P U E N T E H I L L S B L I N D T H R U S T San Jose Fa u l t Hollywo o d F a u l t Raymond Ver d u g o - E a g l e R o c k F a u l t San A n t o n i o F a u l t San Gabriel Fault San G a b r i e l F a u l t Cucam o n g a Fault Z o n e C e n t r a l A v e n u e F a u l t C h i n o F a u l t Peralta FaultEl Mo d e n a F a u l t L o s A l a m i t o s F a u l t P a l o s V e r d e s F a u l t Z o n e Palos F a u l t Z o n e Ver d e s C a b r i l l o F a u l t C h a r n o c k F a u l t O v e r l a n d F a u l t Santa M o n i c a F a u l t Pal o s V e r d e s F a u l t Z o n e Redondo Canyon Fault Fault Sierra Madre Fault Zone Indian Hills Fault A N G E L E S F O R E S T N AT I O N A L P a c i f i c O c e a n Arcadia City Boundary Freeway/Highway Blind Thrust Faults Surface Faults Faults are buried below the surface; small triangles indicated fault dip direction (north) and thin gray lines indicate the depth contours (e.g., 5 km = 5 kilometers deep) on the fault surface (Shaw et al, 2002). Faults exposed at the ground surface; solid where well located, dashed where approximate, and dotted where concealed (Bryant, 2005). Potential Earthquake Faults Mapped by: Hogle-Ireland Inc., 2010. Data Sources: Seismic and Geologic Technical Background Report Wilson Geosciences, 2008. 0 12,000 24,000 36,000 48,000 Feet 8-16 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Figure S-3 Alquist Priolo and Fault Rupture Hazard Zones Duarte Rd Foothill Blvd 10 t h A v Ba l d w i n A v Colorado Blvd Mi c h i l l i n d a A v 5t h A v Sierra Madre Blvd Grandview Av Orange Grove Av Sa n t a A n i t a A v Duarte Rd 2n d A v Campus Dr Su n s e t B l v d Hugo Oak s Go l d e n Elkins Av C o l o r a d o P l Harvard Dr Old R a n c h R d Hi g h l a n d Ba l d w i n A v Colorado Blvd El M o n t e A v Camino Real FOOTHILL FRWY Ro s e m e a d B l v d Sa n t a A n i t a A v Dr Reid Dr Wes t Av Vaquero Dr Paloma Dr Hun t i n g t o n D r Sierra Madre Pasadena Los Angeles County Monrovia 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Feet City Boundary Sphere of Influence Freeway Railroad City Road Mapped by: Hogle-Ireland Inc., 2010. Data Sources: Alquist-Priolo Special Study Map; California Division of Mines & Geology (CDMG), January 1, 1977; and Raymond Basin groundwater barriers (RDMB, 2007). Approximate Inferred or Possible Groundwater Barrier Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Fault Hazard Management Zone Turning Point Active or Potentially Active Fault Location Base Map Features ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-17 The types of effects felt by an earthquake depend upon many factors, most notably the intensity of the event, distance to the earthquake epicenter, the depth of the earthquake, and local soils conditions. Seismologists use a logarithmic magnitude scale to describe the intensity of earthquakes. However, what impresses us most when an earthquake occurs are its effects. What kind of damage correlates to, for example, a 5.4 magnitude earthquake? The Modified Mercalli Scale, presented in Table S-3, was developed to provide a correlation between the logarithmic magnitude scale and general public understanding of the potential destructive effects of earthquakes of varying magnitudes. TABLE S-3. MODIFIED MERCALLI INTENSITY SCALE Scale Intensity: Shaking Intensity: Damage Description I Not Felt None Not felt except by a very few under especially favorable circumstances. II Weak None Felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper floors of buildings. Delicately suspended objects may swing. III Felt quite noticeably indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings, but many people do not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibration like passing of truck. Duration estimated. IV Light None During the day felt indoors by many, outdoors by few. At night some awakened. Dishes, windows, doors disturbed; walls make cracking sound. Sensation like heavy truck striking building. Standing motor cars rocked noticeably. V Moderate Very Light Felt by nearly everyone, many awakened. Some dishes, windows, etc., broken; a few instances of cracked plaster; unstable objects overturned. Disturbances of trees, poles, and other tall objects sometimes noticed. Pendulum clocks may stop. VI Strong Light Felt by all, many frightened and run outdoors. Some heavy furniture moved, a few instances of fallen plaster or damaged chimneys. Damage slight. VII Very Strong Moderate Everybody runs outdoors. Damage negligible in building of good design and construction, slight to moderate in well-built ordinary structures, considerable in poorly built or badly designed structures, some chimneys broken. Noticed by persons driving motor cars. VIII Severe Moderate/ Heavy Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable in ordinary substantial buildings, with partial collapse; great in poorly built structures. Panel walls thrown out of frame structures. Fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, walls. Heavy furniture overturned. Sand and mud ejected in small amounts. Changes in well water. Persons driving motor cars disturbed. 8-18 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 TABLE S-3. MODIFIED MERCALLI INTENSITY SCALE Scale Intensity: Shaking Intensity: Damage Description IX Violent Heavy Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well-designed frame structures thrown out of plumb; great in substantial buildings, with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations. Ground cracked conspicuously. Underground pipes broken. X Extreme Very Heavy Some well-built wooden structures destroyed; most masonry and frame structures destroyed with foundations; ground badly cracked. Rails bent. Landslides considerable from river banks and steep slopes. Shifted sand and mud. Water splashed (slopped) over banks. XI Extreme Very Heavy Few, if any, (masonry) structures remain standing. Bridges destroyed. Broad fissures in ground. Underground pipelines completely out of service. Earth slumps and land slips in soft ground. Rails bent greatly. XII Extreme Very Heavy Damage total. Practically all works of construction are damaged greatly or destroyed. Waves seen on ground surface. Lines of sight and level are distorted. Source: Wilson Geosciences Inc. 2008. Seismic and Geologic Technical Background Report for the City of Arcadia General Plan Update. September 2008. To reduce the ground shaking hazards associated with seismic activity, the City requires that all new development conform to current City and State seismic and geotechnical codes. The California Building Code, which is adopted by the City, contains seismic regulations that are enforced during the design and construction phases of development to ensure any structure has the integrity to remain safe during seismic activity. California’s Unreinforced Masonry Building Law (URM) is another measure that guards against building collapse in the case of seismic activity. In response, the City inventories unreinforced masonry buildings and conducts a seismic strengthening program to retrofit masonry buildings to prevent injury or damage. As discussed in the Emergency Preparedness section of this element, the City maintains up-to-date emergency response plans and educates the public about response procedures for earthquakes. Fault Rupture and Fault Hazard Zones Fault rupture is the term used to describe the movement along a fault line that is evidenced by a break in the ground surface. The location of a fault rupture generally can be assumed to occur along an active major fault trace. The Sierra Madre and Raymond faults represent the two local faults that have the most potential to create ground surface rupture conditions. The Raymond fault traverses a significant section of the City Arcadia (Figure S- 23) and has the potential to cause a 5- to 6-foot offset if severe ground shaking occurs in the event of a major earthquake. The Sierra Made fault crosses the northern portion of Arcadia and affects fewer properties. However, a rupture along the ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-19 Sierra Madre fault still represents a serious potential hazard. In the event of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake along the Sierra Madre fault, ground rupture movements could be very large, possibly 10 feet or more. The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act was passed in 1972 to prevent the construction of buildings on active faults. State geologists are required to publish maps that identify and establish earthquake fault zones that indicate the location of active faults. Each of the maps is then distributed to affected cities and counties for planning purposes. Before a project can be permitted within the fault zone, the permitting jurisdiction must require a geologic investigation by a licensed geologist to prove that proposed buildings will not be constructed across active faults. The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone underlying Arcadia is shown in Figure S-23. In addition to the known faults, Arcadia is crossed by potentially active and concealed fault traces whose precise locations are not known and/or which have not been studied to the degree that activity is completely understood. Because of the Sierra Madre fault zone potentially impacts the northern corner of the City Arcadia and limited knowledge is available regarding fault segment activity levels and trace locations, prudent planning calls for establishment of fault hazard management zones. The intent of a fault hazard management zone, or FHMZ, is to require that geologic investigations, which may include fault trenching, be performed if conventional structures designed for human occupancy are proposed within the zone. The goal would be to refine fault location and create a fault activity database for the faults in the City Arcadia. Figure S-23 identifies the proposed boundaries of an FHMZ a fault hazard management zone for the Sierra Madre fault which take into account areas with 500 feet of mapped faults and groundwater barriers most associated with the Sierra Madre fault zone. Landslides and Liquefaction Landslides Landslides can result from earthquake-related ground shaking or failure of steep slopes due to water saturation or unstable soil conditions. Landslides can overrun structures, people, or property. They can sever utility lines and block roads, thereby hindering rescue operations following an earthquake. California law requires identification of landslide zones, in which the stability of hill slopes must be evaluated. The Seismic Hazards Mapping Act (California Public Resources Code, Section 2690 et seq.), passed by the Legislature in 1990, addresses secondary seismic hazards such as landslides and liquefaction. The act is implemented by the California Geological Survey, which prepares seismic hazards maps for jurisdictions throughout the State. State maps (see Figure S-4) indicate that landslide hazards in Arcadia are present only within the foothill areas. Also, potential rock fall hazards exist along Santa Anita Canyon Road. These areas are not necessarily unstable, but the hazard maps provide an opportunity to consider these conditions when planning for new development or redevelopment. While there may be evidence for some landslide activity in these areas of Arcadia in past earthquakes, most of the basis for the mapping 8-20 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 of potential earthquake-induced landslide areas is ground slope and the characteristics of geologic formations. Liquefaction Liquefaction is a geologic process that causes various types of ground failure. Liquefaction typically occurs in loose, saturated sediments. When liquefaction occurs, the sediments involved have a total or substantial loss of shear strength and behave like a liquid substance. Liquefaction can cause structural distress or failure due to ground settlement, a loss of bearing capacity in the foundation soils, and the buoyant rise of buried structures. Liquefaction-induced ground failure historically has been a major cause of earthquake damage in Southern California. During the 1971 San Fernando and 1994 Northridge earthquakes, significant damage to roads, utility pipelines, buildings, and other structures in the Los Angeles area was caused by liquefaction-induced ground displacement. The potential danger of liquefaction-induced ground failure can range from simple ground cracking to complex lateral spreading landslides, conditions that can potentially cause damage to both surface and subsurface structures. The severity of the damage cause by liquefaction is dependent upon the magnitude of the failure and location of structures in relation to the failure. Localities most susceptible to liquefaction-induced damage are those that are underlain by loose sediment, contain shallow groundwater, and are susceptible to ground shaking. California law requires identification of liquefaction zones. As they do for landslide hazards, the California Geological Society’s seismic hazard zones maps delineate areas within Arcadia that are susceptible to liquefaction. Figure S-34 identifies four primary liquefaction areas within the Arcadia planning area: southeast of Live Oak Avenue to the San Gabriel River, along Live Oak Avenue between Santa Anita and Tenth Avenue, along the wash areas of Santa Anita Canyon just north of the Raymond fault, and an area north of the Raymond fault. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-21 Figure S-4 Liquefaction and Landslide Hazard Zones Monrovia El Monte Temple City Irwindale Sierra Madre Pasadena Los Angeles County Duarte Rd Live Oak Ave Ba l d w i n A v Longden Av Foothill Blvd My r t l e A v Pec k R d Olive St 6t h A v Ho l l y A v Las Tunas Dr 10 t h A v Ba l d w i n A v FOOTHILL FRWY SAN G A B R I E L F R W Y Colorado Blvd En c i n i t a A v Mo u n t a i n A v Ca l i f o r n i a A v Te m p l e C i t y B l v d Mi c h i l l i n d a A v 5t h A v Sierra Madre Blvd Grandview Av Ma y f l o w e r A v Orange Grove Av El M o n t e A v Sa n t a A n i t a A v Duarte Rd 2n d A v Sa n t a A n i t a A v Live Oak Ave Foothill Blvd FOOTHILL FRWY Hillcres t B l v d Campus Dr Gran d A v Su n s e t B l v d Hugo Oak s Gol d e n Elkins Av Cog s w e l l R d C o l o r a d o P l Harvard Dr Sant a A n i t a A v Ro s e m e a d B l v d Old R a n c h R d Hi g h l a n d Ba l d w i n A v El M o n t e A v Lower Azusa Rd Camino Real Ro s e m e a d B l v d Sa n t a A n i t a A v Dr Reid Dr Wes t Av Vaquero Dr Paloma Dr Hunt i n g t o n D r Huntington Dr Longden Av 50 10 30 40 100 20 150 200 100 40 100 10 150 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Feet Base Map Features City Boundary Sphere of Influence Freeway Railroad City Road Water Feature Mapped by: Hogle-Ireland Inc., 2010. Data Sources: Seisimic Hazard Zones, CGS, 1998; OFR 98-15, 022, and 030. And Seismic Hazard Evaluation, CDMG, 1999; El Monte, Baldwin Park, and Mt. Wilson 7.5-minute Quads Zones of Required Investigation Liquefaction Zone Earthquake-Induced Landslides Overlapping Liquefaction and Earthquake-Induced Landslides Historically Highest Groundwater Contours Depth to groundwater in feet 8-22 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Minimizing Risks from Landslides and Liquefaction The State Hazards Mapping Act requires that any development proposed within a State-delineated seismic hazard zone be evaluated for landslides and liquefaction by a certified engineering geologist and/or registered civil engineer. Likewise, project review by the local agency must be performed by geologists and engineers with the same credentials and experience. Seismic hazard maps may not show all areas that have the potential for liquefaction and landslides, nor is information shown on the maps sufficient to serve as a substitute for detailed site investigations. A considerable part of the City’s Arcadia’s mapped liquefiable areas are already built upon, mostly with residential, commercial, and industrial development. A moderate to strong earthquake occurring along a nearby fault could cause extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure in these areas. Since retrofitting measures generally may not be feasible due to cost, the City will be prepared to respond to damage and disruption in the event of an earthquake. Any new development will require liquefaction susceptibility studies as part of the design and construction processes. Tsunamis A tsunami is a large sea wave generated by any large-scale disturbance of the ocean floor that occurs in a short period of time, such as an earthquake, volcanic eruption, or coastal landslide, which can cause a sudden displacement of water. Although local earthquakes may cause tsunamis, most past tsunamis in Southern California were associated with distant earthquakes that traveled great distances across the Pacific Ocean basin. Tsunami hazards are not of concern in Arcadia due to elevation and distance from the ocean. Goals and Policies Identification, avoidance, and sound mitigation practices represent the best approaches to addressing seismic and geologic hazards. While the Raymond fault zone, landslide areas, and liquefaction zones have been mapped, uncertainty remains regarding the location of Sierra Madre fault traces. The City will explore the creation of a fault hazard management zone for this fault. Goals with regard to seismic and geologic hazards are as follows. Goal S-4: Minimized potential for loss of life, physical injury, and property damage resulting from earthquakes and geologic hazards Policy S-4.1: Explore the creation of a fault hazard management zone for the Sierra Madre fault. Policy S-4.2: Emphasize carefully planned development within seismic and geologic hazard areas to minimize potential hazards risk as the City’s preferred hazards management strategy. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-23 Policy S-4.3: Require detailed geologic investigations to accompany development proposals for sites that lie within known or suspected seismic and geologic hazard areas. Require that such investigations and reports conform to accepted professional standards and any applicable State and City requirements. Policy S-4.4: Monitor activities of the California Geological Survey and other relevant agencies and organizations to stay informed regarding new mapping and reports that advance the state of knowledge of seismic and geologic hazards affecting Arcadia. Policy S-4.5: Continue enforcing the most rigorous building codes and regulations which that govern seismic safety. Policy S-4.6: Require the removal or retrofit, as appropriate, of any hazardous or substandard structures that may collapse in the event of an earthquake. Policy S-4.7: Periodically conduct and evaluate Emergency Operations Center exercises to ensure readiness for earthquakes and/or seismic related events. Policy S-4.8: Ensure access and egress routes are planned appropriately to and from identified hazard areas relative to the type of development in these areas. Flooding Floods are natural and recurring events that have become hazardous as development encroaches onto floodplains, modifying the landscape and placing structures in areas meant to convey excess water during floods. Significant flood control and debris flow infrastructure within the San Gabriel Mountains and foothill communities have largely mitigated the flood hazards that were prevalent prior to extensive urbanization. Arcadia and surrounding areas are, like most of Southern California, subject to unpredictable seasonal rainfall. Most years, the scant winter rains are barely sufficient to turn the hills green for a few weeks, but every few years the region is subjected to periods of intense and sustained precipitation that sometimes results in localized flooding. Regionally, the overall amount of rain is not projected to change as a result of climate change; however, over time climate change is predicted to reduce the frequency of lower intensity rain occurrences and increase the frequency and intensity of extreme rain events. That being said, these climatic changes may not be apparent immediately. From 2024 to 2050, Arcadia’s average annual extreme rain events is projected to remain at three events per year, the same as historic averages. 8-24 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Discussion of the local and regional stormwater control systems is included in the Circulation and Infrastructure Element. Natural (Storm) Flooding In Southern California, storm flooding is difficult to predict, and thus plan for, because rainfall varies from year to year. To prepare and mitigate hazards from flooding, the City of Arcadia participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood Insurance Rate Maps, or FIRMs, which are prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA, identify potential flood zones (Figure S-45). Flood hazards related to storm events generally are described in terms of a 100- or 500-year flood. A 100-year flood is defined as a major flood event that has a one percent 1% or greater chance of occurring during any one year. Flood hazard planning practices addresses such storms, as well as 500-year events. These floods are considered severe; however, these floods can be reasonably predicted and therefore reasonably mitigated. As noted above, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works has constructed regional flood and debris control facilities throughout the region, including the flood control channels in Arcadia that direct runoff water through the City city into regional facilities to the south. A system of spreading basins manages storm water stormwater runoff and helps recharge groundwater basins. Locally, the City maintains approximately 4 miles of subsurface storm drains that flow into the regional channels. Due to the combination of these two systems, no areas in Arcadia lie within a 100-year floodplain. That being said, FEMA flood zones could be added to Arcadia in the future as a result of climate change increasing flood risks. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-25 Figure S-5 Flood Hazards Map 8-26 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Flooding Due to Dam Inundation Inundation can occur as a result of significant structural damage to a dam or other water retention facility upstream of Arcadia. Dam or reservoir failure could occur as a result of an earthquake, erosion, design flaw, or water overflow during storms (for a dam). Arcadia’s location along the San Gabriel Mountain foothills and below extensive regional flood control facilities places it within the potential inundation area of six water retention facilities (see Figure S-56). Section 8589.5 of the California Government Code requires dam owners to provide the Governor's Office of Emergency Services with an inundation map showing the extent of damage to life and property that would occur given a complete and sudden dam failure at full capacity. The inundation areas for each water retention facility are shown on Figure S-48. The Santa Anita Dam represents the facility that could have the greatest flooding impact on the City. A catastrophic failure of the Santa Anita Dam could result in floodwaters storming down Santa Anita Canyon to about Orange Grove Avenue and then spreading to cover roughly the eastern half of Arcadia to the East Wash. Inundation from a failure of the Sierra Madre Dam would cover the area north of I-210 to Grandview Avenue between the Arcadia East Wash and First Avenue. Areas immediately adjacent to drainage courses would be the most susceptible to damage from rapidly flowing water, severe erosion, and associated floating debris. Higher areas and those farthest from the existing flood channels could suffer some damage from rising water. In 2009, the To reduce risks associated with the Santa Anita Dam, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works initiated a massive has completed several projects in recent years and has other planned (see below). Completed Dam Projects Los Angeles County Public Works completed construction of the Santa Anita Dam and Reservoir Sediment Removal and Riser Modification Project in 2013. This project restored 185 acre-feet of stormwater storage capacity in Santa Anita Reservoir by removing approximately 330,000 cubic yards (495,000 tons) of sediment removal project from the reservoir and placing it at the Santa Anita Reservoir to increase reservoir capacity and ensure Sediment Placement Site. The project also achieved compliance with California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams’ seismic stability requirements for the dam. Over one half million tons of sediment is to be transferred to the Santa Anita Sediment Placement Site in Arcadia. Seismic safety retrofits to the dam include modifications to the dam’s inlet/outlet works and the construction of a new dam riser by constructing a new sluiceway outlet riser on the upstream face of the dam that allows free draining of reservoir water above the restricted reservoir elevation of 1,230 ft. Santa Anita Dam, constructed in 1925–1927 by the then Los Angeles County Flood Control District, was part of a series of public works projects designed to control floodwaters and provide a stable water supply. This dam is one of about 40 variable radius arch concrete dams constructed in California between 1914 and 1970. Source: Santa Anita Dam Riser Modification and Sediment Removal Final EIR, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, May 2009. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-27 Los Angeles County Public Works completed construction of the Santa Anita Dam Spillway Modification Project in 2021. This project achieved compliance with California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams’ hydrology and hydraulic requirements and mitigates downstream flood risk by constructing a new ogee spillway to safely accommodate the Probable Maximum Flood. The Project also completed improvements to the dam’s electrical, mechanical, water, control systems for increased operational flexibility, constructed a heliport for improved emergency access, and installed new flood control valves to enhance the reliability of water conservation releases from the dam for downstream ground water recharge. Upcoming Dam Projects The 2020 Bobcat Fire burned the tributary watershed of the Santa Anita Reservoir and an estimated one million cubic yards of sediment could flow into the reservoir during a major storm event, or multiple storm events, until the watershed recovers. During December 2021 storms an estimated 300,000 cubic yards of sediment and debris washed into the reservoir. As a result, Los Angeles County Public Works initiated the Santa Anita Reservoir Post-Fire Emergency Restoration Project which removed an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 cubic yards of sediment from the reservoir and placed it at the Santa Anita Sediment Placement Site (SPS). This emergency sediment removal project was necessary to protect the dam’s outlet works and to restore capacity in the reservoir for flood protection and water conservation operations. Construction started in early 2023 and was completed in November 2024. Work will continue at the SPS until mid-2025. Los Angeles County Public Works has also initiated the Santa Anita Debris Dam Seismic Strengthening Project to meet compliance with California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams’ seismic stability requirements and to restore 119 acres-feet of stormwater storage capacity at the debris dam. The project will include buttressing of the spillway walls and westerly embankment, replacement of the existing outlet tower, modification of the inlet/outlet works, and other facility improvements. Construction is anticipated to start in mid-2025. 8-28 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Figure S-6 Dam Inundation Zones Monrovia El Monte Temple City Irwindale Sierra Madre Pasadena Los Angeles County Duarte Rd Live Oak Ave Ba l d w i n A v Longden Av Foothill Blvd My r t l e A v Pec k R d Olive St 6t h A v Ho l l y A v Las Tunas Dr 10 t h A v Ba l d w i n A v FOOTHILL FRWY SAN G A B R I E L F R W Y Colorado Blvd En c i n i t a A v Mo u n t a i n A v Ca l i f o r n i a A v Te m p l e C i t y B l v d Mic h i l l i n d a A v 5t h A v Sierra Madre Blvd Grandview Av Ma y f l o w e r A v Orange Grove Av El M o n t e A v Sa n t a A n i t a A v Duarte Rd 2n d A v Sa n t a A n i t a A v Live Oak Ave Foothill Blvd FOOTHILL FRWY Hillcres t B l v d Campus Dr Gran d A v Su n s e t B l v d Hugo Oak s Gol d e n Elkins Av Cog s w e l l R d C o l o r a d o P l Harvard Dr Sant a A n i t a A v Ro s e m e a d B l v d Old R a n c h R d Hi g h l a n d Ba l d w i n A v El M o n t e A v Lower Azusa Rd Camino Real Ro s e m e a d B l v d Sa n t a A n i t a A v Dr Reid Dr Wes t Av Vaquero Dr Paloma Dr Hunt i n g t o n D r Huntington Dr Longden Av 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Feet Inundation Areas Mapped by: Hogle-Ireland Inc., 2010. Data Sources: City of Arcadia Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2004 and California Department of Water Resources, Office of Emergency Services, 1972. Santa Anita Dam Morris S. Jones Reservoir Santa Fe Dam Sierra Madre Dam Sawpit Dam Eaton Wash Dam City Boundary Sphere of Influence Freeway Railroad City Road Water Feature Base Map Features ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-29 Seiche Potential A seiche is the formation of large waves in landlocked bodies of water due to seismic activity. In the event of major ground shaking, a seiche can occur and potentially cause major flooding and water inundation damage. While no large water bodies exist in Arcadia, waters stored behind Santa Anita Dam could experience seismic-induced wave action. Also, seiche-type action could be of concern in above ground aboveground water reservoirs, such as any of the 16 reservoirs in Arcadia. Major reservoirs include the Baldwin Reservoir (9.3 million gallons), St. Josephs Reservoir (5.25 million gallons), and Santa Anita Reservoir 4 (3.5 million gallons). Reservoirs are engineered to guard against failure due to seismic activity, both from structural failure and internal wave action that could be generated by an earthquake. Minimizing Risks from Flooding and Inundation Because FEMA maps indicate that flood hazards in Arcadia are insignificant, property owners are not required to guard against potential flooding. To address any localized ponding in periods of intense rainfall, the City will continue to monitor, improve, and maintain storm drain systems to convey water flows and minimize focused incidents. The dams above Arcadia are regulated and monitored for structural safety by the California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams in accordance with Division 3 of the California State Water Code. Regulation of these dams reduces substantially the chance of catastrophic failure. As described above, completed and planned improvements to Santa Anita Dam will provide for compliance with seismic safety standards for this dam and sediment maintenance. Although highly unlikely, under the most severe earthquake scenario along the Sierra Madre fault, water retention facilities could be damaged and cause a release of water. Appropriate mitigation for this type of flooding consists of evacuation planning for most areas of the City and elevating new critical facilities (see discussion below) above the predicted flood level for its location. Goals and Policies As flood hazards are well addressed by existing storm control infrastructure, City efforts will focus on maintenance. With regard to dam inundation, the City will work with responsible agencies—and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works in particular—to protect Arcadia residents and businesses from potential inundation. Local storm water stormwater management efforts include approaches to both manage runoff in a manner that both guards against flooding and protects water supplies from pollutants. See the Circulation and Infrastructure Element and the Resource Sustainability Element for more discussion. 8-30 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Goal S-5: Superior storm drainage and flood control facilities that minimize risk of flooding Policy S-5.1: Prioritize improvements to Arcadia’s storm drain system in areas that are prone to localized ponding and flooding. Policy S-5.2: Continue rigorous maintenance of storm drainage and flood control facilities within the City’s jurisdiction, and coordinate with all responsible agencies in their upkeep and improvements. Policy S-5.3: Require that new development projects retain as much runoff as possible on the development site to reduce flow volumes into the storm drain system, allow for recharge of the groundwater basins, and comply with the City’s storm water stormwater permitting requirements (consistent with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems program, or NPDES) and employ Best Management Practices (BMPs) best management practices. Policy S-5.4: Support efforts of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works and other agencies responsible for the maintenance of dams and reservoirs above Arcadia to improve conditions of the facilities and reduce the risk of inundation resulting from dam or reservoir failure. Policy S-5.5: Ensure that developments located within the County’s Flood Hazard Zones are located and designed to avoid isolation from essential services and facilities in the event of flooding. Fire Hazards The Arcadia Fire Department is a Class I, all-risk department that addresses both wildland and urban fires; a complete discussion of the department’s capabilities and responsibilities is included below in the Emergency Services section. Wildfires Wildfires have occurred in Southern California has been ravaged by wildland fires since before humans settled the area, but fires were not of significant concern until to people until settlements were developed started building houses in the hills and mountains where fires are part of nature’s processes. Wildfires are extremely costly, not only to property owners and residents, but also to government agencies as well. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-31 The wildfire front is not the only source of risk; embers, or firebrands, travel far beyond the area impacted by the front and pose a risk of ignition to a structure or fuel source. Since fires ignore civil boundaries, cities, counties, special districts, and State and federal Federal agencies work together to bring fires under control. Preventive measures can be very effective in minimizing the scope of a fire event, including vegetation maintenance brush clearance around structures, controlled burns to protect habited areas, and limiting or avoiding any new development in high-risk areas. Wildfire season in California is forecasted to become longer and more severe as a result of climate change. Approximately 80% of wildfires occur in the summer and fall, with 25% of annual wildfires occurring during Santa Ana wind events. Climate change is likely to intensify the fall fire season as the fall becomes hotter and drier and Santa Ana wind season is less tempered by early rains. The threat of fire to hillside developments at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains is of real concern to Arcadia residents living in the foothills. The northernmost portion of Arcadia and the foothills region is recognized as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) (see Figure S-7). VHFHSZs are developed by CAL FIRE using several fire likelihood and fire behavior factors to show the severity of fire hazards or risks. Arcadia’s VHFHSZ consists of single- family residential uses and open space in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest. In addition, there are four reservoirs and a radio repeater in this high threat area that serve the neighborhoods of Arcadia and beyond. The Angeles National Forest is Federally owned land managed and protected by Federal emergency service crews. If fire breaks out in this region, cooperation between local, county, State, and Federal agencies is crucial. On October 27, 1993, the Kinneola fire destroyed 122 single family homes in Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre. In 2009, Los Angeles County was ravaged by the Station fire, the largest brush fire in Los Angeles County’s modern history. The fire burned an estimated 160,000 acres of land (approximately 250 square miles) across the Angeles National Forest, costing millions of dollars to fight, demanding extraordinary fire-fighting resources, and threatening communities very close to Arcadia. The northern portion of Arcadia has similar topography and vegetation as the areas destroyed by the Kinneloa and Station fires, and represents the area in Arcadia most exposed to wildfire hazards. The local In total, CAL FIRE has recorded approximately 12 major wildfires that burned into Arcadia since 1950, and all but three fires originated in the San Gabriel Mountains to the north. The furthest south that a fire originating in the San Gabriel Mountains has burned is to present day Elkins Avenue. Of the 12 total fires, three occurred in a small pocket further southeast where present day Foothill Middle School exists. It is likely that the natural canyon protruding into this portion of Arcadia was undeveloped during these times and, since the 8-32 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 last fire in that area in 1977, the wildfire-urban interface has receded outside of the city boundary as development filled in the formerly fire prone area. From 2001 to 2021, there have been seven fires in the foothills of Arcadia or immediately neighboring the city limits (see Figure S-8). The Bobcat Fire, in September 2020, was the most recent fire to threaten residents in Arcadia. Originating in the Angeles National Forest, the wildfire burned directly towards the interface along Arcadia’s foothills. Hundreds of homes were evacuated for 4 days while various agencies coordinated to protect neighborhoods from the flames. Within the Los Angeles region, major fires will continue to cause dangerous air pollution, mass evacuations, loss of property, and loss of life. California’s Public Resource Code and Government Code 51175-89 direct the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) CAL FIRE to map areas of significant fire hazards based on fuels, terrain, weather, and other relevant factors. CAL FIRE created a mapping system that identifies Fire Hazard Zones, and has created a map showing areas that are considered to be Very High Fire Hazards Zones VHFHSZs in Arcadia. The map has been officially adopted by the City (see Figure S-7), and the City has targeted these areas to implement stringent wildland fire wildfire mitigation strategies. New construction within this zone, also known as a wildland-urban interface area, is required to maintain “defensible space” (areas clear of possible fire fuels such as dried vegetation and additionally provide emergency access) and to comply with special building code requirements for high-fire hazard areas, including such measures as ignition-resistant construction materials for roofs, eaves, vents, exterior walls, exterior windows, doors, and decks. Urban Fires Building and equipment fires potentially could occur any day of the week, regardless of weather and fuel load. Although urban fires accounted for less than four percent 2% of the City Fire Department’s total incident responses in 2007 2021, the cost of fire damage to residential structures alone was estimated at around $1.5 $3.9 million. The Fire Department focuses on fire prevention and education to keep incident levels and damage low. Prevention includes having appropriate fire and life safety systems in place, such as automatic fire sprinklers and smoke alarms, and conformance with the City’s adopted fire codes. Due to factors such as manufacturing operations and/or storage involving chemicals or flammable materials, industrial businesses located north of Huntington Drive and east of Santa Anita Avenue and those within the southeast corner of the City have higher hazard levels than other uses in the City. All businesses are required to comply with Fire Department requirements regarding storage of flammable and hazardous materials and emergency incident planning. Construction standards in building and fire codes provide mitigation against fire events and fire damage. Emergency fire services are discussed in further detail in the Emergency Services section that follows. The City supplements its own fire suppression resources with mutual aid agreements with the U.S. Forest Service and the County of Los Angeles for fire ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-33 protection services in the hillside areas. Mutual Automatic aid agreements with neighboring jurisdictions for general fire and emergency services provide additional response capabilities throughout the rest of the City. A discussion of Arcadia Fire Department’s facilities and services is located in the Emergency Services section that follows. 8-34 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Figure S-7 Fire Hazard Severity Zones ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-35 Figure S-8 Fire Perimeters 8-36 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Goals and Policies The City implements State and local fire codes, policies, and programs to protect the community from wildland and urban fires. Enforcement of the California Fire Code has been the City’s most effective way of guarding against fire incidents. The California Fire Code provides the minimum standards that govern projects ensuring the use of proper building materials, fire protection system design, occupancy limits, and emergency access. Other fire policies such as storage limitations and the City’s fire sprinkler standards for commercial and residential structures help prevent and limit damage from fires. The City has also been aggressive in minimizing wildland fire wildfire hazards, specifically by adopting wildfire prevention policies that apply to all properties within the wildland-urban interface zone. Requirements in this zone include planting of appropriate plant materials, landscape maintenance, irrigating vegetation, proper storage of fuels (firewood, propane tanks), and roof and chimney maintenance. Additionally, the City enforces California Government Code and California Building Code requirements that further preventative measures in areas designated as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones VHFHSZs Goal S-6: High level of protection from the dangers of wildland and urban fires Policy S-6.1: Practice Reduce wildland and urban fire prevention incidents and impacts to the community through engineering, enforcement, and education, as the primary means to reduce incidents of wildland and urban fires well as economic and emergency response. Policy S-6.2: Continue to adopt and implement the most current fire prevention technology, as recognized by national standards, in the development of building and fire codes. Policy S-6.3: Continue to develop public education programs that will provide Arcadia residents and businesses with information regarding proper and effective fire prevention and fire safety. preparedness including defensible space, home hardening, and evacuation routes. Outreach efforts should ensure the most at-risk populations are informed. Policy S-6.4: Limit new development in designated high-fire- hazard areas. Where prior entitlements have been given, require and enforce strict adherence to City, County, and State codes that address building materials and approaches, defensible spaces, brush clearance fuel breaks, required fire flows, on-site or nearby fire-fighting equipment, and adequate ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-37 emergency vehicle access to accommodate the weight and size of vehicles. Ensure vegetation clearance and management on public and private roads. Policy S-6.5: Prohibit new subdivisions in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones unless the new subdivision is generally surrounded by existing built or entitled development in areas which do not have adequare water pressure or fire flows until sufficient pressure and fire flows can reliably be provided and maintained or is located in an existing approved specific plan and meets secondary egress route requirements and the level of capacity of adjoining major highways and street networks can accommodate evacuation. Discourage new subdivisions in all other Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Policy S-6.6: Define and maintain effective evacuation routes for neighborhoods within high-fire-hazard areas including the effective use of mass notification technology. Efforts should ensure the most at-risk populations are considered and informed. Policy S-6.7: Perform regular life safety inspections of all commercial, multifamily, and brush area occupanciesz in Fire Hazard Severity Zones to ensure compliance with City and State fire codes, standards, and regulations. Policy S-6.8: Require redevelopment located in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone to comply with the most current version of the California Building Codes and California Fire Code. Encourage post-fire redevelopments located outside of a Fire Hazard Severity Zone to comply with the most current version of the California Building Codes and California Fire Code. Policy S-6.9: Reduce the impacts of wildfire by meeting minimum State Fire Safe regulations for fire- resistant building materials, vegetation management, fire-adapted landscaping, fuel modification, and other fire hazard reduction programs. Policy S-6.10: Ensure long-term maintenance of all fire hazard reduction projects, including community fire breaks and private road and public road clearance. Policy S-6.11: Maintain water supply and infrastructure to meet the water needs of the Arcadia Fire Department. “Post-fire redevelopments” are when a structure is entirely or partially redeveloped as a result of structural damage from a wildfire. 8-38 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Human-Caused Hazards Hazardous Materials Hazardous materials and chemicals are used daily in households and businesses throughout Arcadia. Not limited to the popular conception of large chemical and industrial factories, sources of hazardous materials can originate from seemingly innocuous places such as service stations, hospitals, dry cleaners, and almost any industrial business. Hazardous waste is any material with properties that make it dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Hazardous waste can take the form of liquids, solids, contained gases, or sludge, and can be the by products byproducts of manufacturing processes or simply discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids and pesticides. Hazardous Materials Sites Arcadia’s land use patterns generally separate industry from residential uses, although large-scale industrial activities have the potential to impact broad areas should an accident occur. Also, commercial freight carriers transporting hazardous substances along major roads or railways present potential hazards. Federal, State, and County agencies enforce regulations for hazardous waste generators and users, and these regulations provide a high degree of protection. The Arcadia Fire Department has inspection programs to monitor proper storage of hazardous materials. The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Health Hazardous Materials Division is Arcadia’s Certified Unified Program Agency, meaning they manage and have jurisdiction over Arcadia’s Hazardous Materials program. Figure S-69 shows the general location of businesses that use, store, produce, or transport hazardous materials. Specific site addresses are not given as businesses that use, store, produce, or transport hazardous materials change over time. Also, as new sites can be discovered or existing sites remediated. Areas with concentrations of such businesses include the industrial districts along the railroad line between Santa Anita Avenue and Second Avenue and, at the southern edge of the City Arcadia near the San Gabriel River, and commercial districts along Duarte Road, Baldwin Avenue, Foothill Boulevard, and Live Oak Avenue. Hazardous Material Generators The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains and publishes a database that lists properties that handle or produce hazardous materials. Small businesses like dry cleaners, auto repair shops, hospitals, and metal plating shops are usually are defined as generators of small quantities of hazardous waste. The EPA defines a small quantity generator as one which produces between 100 and 1,000 kilograms of hazardous waste per month. As of 2006 2022, approximately 63 78 small quantity generators operated in Arcadia. Many of these businesses are located in the industrial and commercial districts mentioned above (Figure S-79). ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-39 Large quantity generators include large manufacturing facilities and businesses like that deal with certain chemicals or materials, like pharmacies or chemical manufacturers. The EPA defines a large quantity generator as a business which produces over 1,000 kilograms of hazardous waste per month. As of 2008, three 2024, 11 large quantity generators are located in Arcadia. Two of Of the three 11 large quantity generators most deal with medical waste, four are manufacturers located in industrial areas in the southeastern portion of the City, one along Lower Azusa Road by the San Gabriel River and the other on Clark Street by Peck Road. The third site, and one is located on La Porte Street near Santa Anita Avenue a horse racetrack. 8-40 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Figure S-9 Hazardous Materials Monrovia El Monte Temple City Irwindale Sierra Madre Pasadena Los Angeles County Duarte Rd Live Oak Ave B a l d w i n A v Longden Av Foothill Blvd My r t l e A v Pe c k R d Olive St 6t h A v Ho l l y A v Las Tunas Dr 10 t h A v Ba l d w i n A v FOOTHILL FRWY SAN G A B R I E L F R W Y Colorado Blvd En c i n i t a A v Mo u n t a i n A v Ca l i f o r n i a A v Te m p l e C i t y B l v d Mi c h i l l i n d a A v 5t h A v Sierra Madre Blvd Grandview Av Ma y f l o w e r A v Orange Grove Av E l M o n t e A v Sa n t a A n i t a A v Duarte Rd 2n d A v Sa n t a A n i t a A v Live Oak Ave Foothill Blvd FOOTHILL FRWY Hillcre s t B l v d Campus Dr Gra n d A v Su n s e t B l v d Hugo Oa k s Go l d e n Elkins Av Co g s w e l l R d C o l o r a d o P l Harvard Dr San t a A n i t a A v Ro s e m e a d B l v d Ol d R a n c h R d Hi g h l a n d Ba l d w i n A v El M o n t e A v Lower Azusa Rd Camino Real Ro s e m e a d B l v d Sa n t a A n i t a A v Dr Reid Dr Wes t Av V a quero D r Paloma Dr Hun t i n g t o n D r Huntington Dr Longden Av 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Feet Hazardous Materials Sites Mapped by: Hogle-Ireland Inc., 2010. Data Sources: Environmental Protection Agency, 2006 and 2007. Base Map Features City Boundary Sphere of Influence Freeway Railroad City Road Water Feature Multiple Hazards CERCLIS Sites Leaking Underground Storage Tank Large-Quantity Generators Small-Quantity Generators Transporter of Hazardous Materials Toxic Release Inventory ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-41 Underground Storage Tanks An underground storage tank is any one or combination of tanks, including associated piping, used to contain industrial solvents, petroleum products, and other hazardous substances. Since the early 1980s, the State has recognized leaking underground storage tanks as the primary cause of groundwater contamination by gasoline compounds and solvents. In California, regulations aimed at mitigating underground storage tank leaks were initiated in 1983. The following year, underground tank systems were required to be installed in accordance with new standards that addressed prevention of future leaks. Legislation also required owners of known leaking underground storage tanks to prepare clean up cleanup plans. Many of the leaking tanks were at gasoline service stations or businesses that maintained fuel tanks for business operations. Through vigorous programs to address these conditions, leaking underground storage tank issues in Arcadia have largely been abated. Household Hazardous Materials Leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients are referred to as household hazardous waste (HHW). Products such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides contain potentially hazardous ingredients. These products require special care in their disposal, as improper methods such as pouring them down drains, onto the ground, or into storm sewers, or throwing them out with household trash can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human and animal health. City programs, operated jointly with the County of Los Angeles, allow residents to take advantage of curbside pick up pickup services which that deliver the household waste to proper disposal or recycling facilities, or to drop off household wastes at specified locations during countywide “round up” events. Residents can also drop off used oil and filters at advertised locations in the City year-round. Through comprehensive and multi lingual multilingual resident education efforts, the City has been able to limit incidents of illegal household hazardous waste disposal. Used or discarded electronics, such as televisions, cell phones, and obsolete equipment like videocassette recorders are referred to as e-waste. Electronic components can contain toxic metals and non-biodegradable materials that should not be put into sanitary landfills. Goals and Policies As is the case with natural hazards, recognition of human-caused hazards and mitigation represent the most effective means of minimizing the number and scope of accidents resulting from the presence of hazardous materials in the community, and associated with terrorism. Cooperative City efforts with Federal and State programs effectively regulate the use, storage, and transportation of hazardous materials. Programs such as the Hazardous Materials Disclosure Program require that businesses that handle defined See the Circulation and Infrastructure Element for a discussion of how the City manages household hazardous waste and e-waste. 8-42 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 quantities of materials submit a hazardous materials inventory and contingency plan. The Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act requires owner and operators of aboveground petroleum storage tanks to file with the State Water Resources Control Board and to develop and implement a spill prevention control and countermeasure plan. The Fire Department handles abatement and clean up cleanup of any hazardous material deposited on any property or facility in Arcadia in compliance with State and federal Federal standards. Additionally, the City promotes public awareness for proper handling and disposal of household hazardous waste. Goal S-7: A continued high level of protection from risks to life, the environment, and property associated with human-caused hazards in Arcadia Policy S-7.1: Adopt and strictly enforce the most current regulations governing hazardous waste management. Policy S-7.2: Minimize exposure of the environment, critical facilities, and residences to hazardous materials and pollution associated with industrial land uses. Policy S-7.3: Ensure that all businesses and hazardous materials transportation services within the City adhere to the requirements of the City’s hazardous materials plans and programs. Policy S-7.4: Work with Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Health Hazardous Materials Division to provide a high level of public awareness of all County and City household hazardous waste programs and activities. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-43 Emergency Services Arcadia pursues two key strategies to address threats to public health and safety: (1) plan to prevent them and (2) develop responses that minimize the extent of distress when a disaster occurs. The City has consistently provided its residents, businesses, and visitors with superior emergency preparedness and response services. This commitment will continue by reducing hazards and responding quickly and efficiently to all types of incidents. Fire Protection and Emergency Services ▪ The mission of the Arcadia Fire Department is to proactively prevent situations of risk due to fires and to deliver the services necessary to minimize the loss of life and property threatened by the hazards of fire, medical and rescue emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, and disaster situations. The Arcadia Fire Department is an all-risk department that provides fire suppression, urban search and rescue, paramedic ambulance service, fire prevention inspections/permits, public fire education programs, emergency preparedness planning, fire cause and origin investigation, fire patrols, and other services based on community needs. Services are provided from three stations, each of which has a primary service area but responds to wherever needed in Arcadia. ▪ Fire Station No. 105, at 710 South Santa Anita Avenue, provides fire protection services to the downtown business district and the southeast portion of the City Arcadia. The station was constructed in 2008 and can accommodate up to 12 firefighters per 24-hour shift. This station serves as headquarters and houses fire suppression staff, 8-44 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 administrative staff, and fire prevention bureau personnel. The station is equipped with one engine, one truck company, one rescue ambulance, and a battalion chief vehicle, reserve engine, reserve rescue ambulance, and one State-owned fire engine. ▪ Fire Station No. 106, located at 630 South Baldwin Avenue, primarily serves the central and southwest portions of the City Arcadia. The station, constructed in of April 1994, can accommodate up to 10 firefighters per 24-hour shift. Equipment includes one engine, one rescue ambulance, an urban search and rescue unit (US&R), a reserve truck, and equipment. ▪ Fire Station No. 107, at 79 West Orange Grove, provides fire protection services to the northern portion of the City Arcadia. The station has been in operation since 1948 and was remodeled in 2003. The station can accommodate up to four firefighters per 24-hour shift. The station is equipped with one engine, one State-owned Type VI engine, and one reserve engine. An antique fire engine—a 1926 American La France restored antique fire pumper—is on display as part of the Department’s educational programs. Because of its successful fire education and prevention efforts, the Fire Department finds that the majority of its responses consists of emergency medical and rescue services as opposed to fire suppression incidents. The second highest type of incident response is fire related. Fire and hazardous material incidents are fairly infrequent. The average response time to the majority of incidents is four to five minutes. Only rarely do Department personnel take six minutes or more to respond to calls for service. The City has not identified a need to build a fourth fire station, as current station locations provide excellent response capabilities. Staffing The City strives to accommodate the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1710, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, which requires that a minimum of four firefighters be assigned to engine and truck companies. Emergency Response Times One of the primary concerns of the Fire Department is response times; making every effort to reduce or maintain response times continues to be a goal. According to the Verdugo Fire Communications 2008 – 2009 Annual Report (Verdugo Fire Communications dispatches all emergency response calls for the fire department, response times for the Department in 2008 Response times for the Fire Department as of February 2022 were as follows: 1. The Fire Department responded to fire emergencies in 54 minutes or less 64.2 percent for the arrival of the first arriving engine company at the fire suppression incident or 8 minutes or less for the deployment of a full first alarm assignment 90% of the time with an average response time of 4:32 minutes. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-45 2. The Department responded to current emergency medical emergencies in 5 response performance standard is the arrival of advanced life support on scene within 5 minutes or less 70.9 percent 90% of the time, with an average response time of 4:08 minutes. The Fire Department strives to comply with NFPA Standard 1710, which states first-arriving fire department units should arrive at the scene of either a fire or medical emergency within 240 seconds 90 percent % of the time. As new commercial and industrial development occurs within the Live Oak Corridor and Lower Azusa Reclamation area consistent with the Land Use Plan, the City will assess whether Fire Department response times to these areas remain sufficient and within NFPA Standard 1710. Issues considered during such an assessment would include verifying that equipment and staffing resources meet response time standards or whether a fourth fire station would be needed to serve the southeast portion of Arcadia. Increased traffic on major, primary, and secondary arterials and enhanced collector roads could potentially affect response times. The City will evaluate options that may help maintain or enhance response times; these options may include the following: 1. Add traffic signal preemption devices at major intersections and install traffic signal preemption emitters on emergency response vehicles. 2. Explore the possibility of integrating mobile data computers (MDC) on emergency response vehicles and the City’s intelligent transportation system (ITS). One of the functions of an MDC is to provide a suggested response route to emergency incidents. Integrating ITS the intelligent transportation system and MDC could provide a method of maintaining traffic flow at intersections along suggested response routes. Fire Prevention and Emergency Services Programs Fire prevention is the preferred way of protecting Arcadia from the dangers of fire. Fire prevention consists of design review and inspection of commercial and residential structures under construction; periodic life safety inspections of commercial, multifamily, and brush area occupancies in fire hazard severity zones; and public education programs. Although it is difficult to quantify, the City’s Fire Prevention Program has greatly reduced property loss, injuries, and loss of life associated with incidents and fires. In 2007 2023, members of the Arcadia Fire Department conducted 3,714 3,461 fire inspections of businesses and residences to review new construction, perform annual life safety inspections, and ensure fire code compliance. Fire Prevention Bureau staff perform fire code compliance inspections on certain new businesses that are of a higher risk in nature. Performing this initial inspection aids business owners by providing them specific safety requirements that their occupancy will need prior to commencing operations. 8-46 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 The City will periodically assess the necessity for additional staffing in the Fire Prevention Bureau as commercial occupancies increase. With the increases in commercial occupancies, fire and life safety inspection loads will increase, and as will the potential for needing additional staffing in the Fire Prevention Bureau. Since emergency medical and rescue services represent the majority of annual response incidents, the City established the Paramedic Membership Program to minimize the cost to the community for emergency response. Enrollees sign up with the program voluntarily and pay a nominal membership fee. In return, the program protects its members from all out-of-pocket expenses for emergency paramedic and ambulance transport services provided within the City of Arcadia as a result of a 911 call. Since the program’s inception, members have saved over one million dollars on emergency paramedic and ambulance services. Public education is one of the key elements in safeguarding a community from fire and environmental hazards. Accordingly, the Arcadia Fire Department routinely and enthusiastically shares fire safety knowledge with the community. In 2007 2024, the Fire Department organized 18 31 public education tours of fire stations and 51 24 demonstrations for the Arcadia Unified School District and various community organizations. During Fire Prevention Month, Fire Prevention Bureau staff and fire suppression personnel coordinate visits to school campuses to give fire safety presentations to both students and teachers. The City also encourages residents to register for the free online program Community Connect, which allows property owners to provide valuable information to first responders such as the number of people living in the home, where hazardous materials are stored, and where the bedrooms are. This allows the response team to more effectively provide their services if a disaster strikes. The Arcadia Fire Department also publishes educational videos and other materials to encourage residents to create their own Emergency Management System so communities can better prepare themselves to respond to any given hazard. Furthermore, the City created an emergency notification system, Alert Arcadia, that can notify residents immediately with emergency alerts and updates. Water Supply for Fire Suppression According to the City’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan, Arcadia’s main sources of water are local groundwater pumped from the Main Basin and Raymond Basin and imported surface water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. These sources, along with measures to conserve and recycle water, are projected to accommodate future water demands, including those of the Arcadia Fire Department. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-47 Joint Training Facility The City is planning for construction of a joint training facility to be utilized by the Fire Department, and other City Departments. With the anticipated increase in call volumes, it becomes even more important to keep units and crews in town at a local training site for rapid response to emergencies while crews are involved in training exercises. The primary element of the joint training facility would be a training tower with an enclosed stairwell, exterior balconies, accessible rooftops, water standpipe and sprinkler systems, smoke-generating system, anchor points for repelling, and a burn room for live fire training. Such a facility would enable Fire and Police personnel to practice multiple disciplines within their areas of expertise. Training props would be available to simulate trench rescue, confined space rescue, and building collapse scenarios. These training props would enable Fire, Police, and Public Works personnel to practice the rescue of persons injured or trapped and provide a suitable site for Public Works and Fire personnel to stay current in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandated training. Additionally, a multi-use community room would be available to all City of Arcadia Departments for classroom training and meetings. The addition of a local, City-owned joint training facility will assist the Fire Department with maintaining its Insurance Services Office (ISO) Class I rating. The ISO Class I rating benefits the entire community by keeping fire insurance costs lower for commercial and residential property owners. Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention Arcadia residents and businesses enjoy a very safe community. The mission of the Arcadia Police Department is “dedication to protecting quality of life and providing the highest level of service.” Arcadia emphasizes that the best way to provide a safer community and reduce the cost of providing law enforcement services is to prevent crime. The majority of crimes that the Police Department responds to are property crimes, the largest occurring property crime being larceny, followed by burglary. Only a small percentage of crimes in Arcadia are violent crimes. 8-48 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 The Arcadia Police Department has over 75 70 sworn peace officers and 35 support staff. The Police Department also employs a volunteer services coordinator, part-time crossing guards, reserve police officers, and civilian volunteers. In addition to general duty policing, the Police Department has a detective bureau, traffic and parking bureau, records department, dispatch department, community and youth services department, and several other specialized teams and police units. The community and youth services department is primarily responsible for the public outreach and public education efforts of the Police Department. Community-based policing is the foundation philosophy of the Arcadia Police Department. This philosophy is based on a strong relationship between the Police Department and the community at large. The Police Department maintains these relationships throughout the year through public speaking engagements, meetings, and public events. This approach is augmented by its various volunteer programs. The volunteer services section allows the Police Department to augment its resources without additional costs to the City. For example, the Amateur Radio and Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) is a volunteer program that uses amateur radio ("ham") operators for crime suppression, surveillance, disaster, and special events communications. The Chaplain Program, initiated in 1994, offers spiritual guidance, counsel, and assistance for officers and their families. The Volunteers in Patrol Support provides additional volunteer support to the Arcadia In 2003, the Arcadia Police Department moved into its new headquarters adjacent to City Hall on Huntington Drive. The department, officially established in 1926, has a history of dedication to the community and professional police service. The Police Department’s motto is “Making a Difference.” ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-49 Patrol Support (VIPS) provides additional volunteer support to the Arcadia Police Department operations, increases police visibility in the City Arcadia, and enhances partnerships with the community. The Mounted Volunteer Patrol program assists the regular mounted officers and other Police Department officers with patrol of horse trails, the shopping mall, and Santa Anita Park. The Arcadia Police Department Explorer Program is designed for youth 14 to 18 years of age who assist the police with searches for evidence, report writing, desk officer duties, command post operations, crime prevention surveillance, disaster assistance, crowd and traffic control, security at major events, and other challenging assignments. Mutual Aid Agreements While the Arcadia Police Department is tasked with preserving the safety and quality of life of the community and the Fire Department is tasked with the responsibility of fire prevention and fire suppression in the City Arcadia, both departments team with other public safety agencies to coordinate during emergencies. These teaming arrangements are handled through automatic and mutual aid agreements, which obligate the public safety departments to help each other under pre-defined circumstances. The Arcadia Fire Department maintains reciprocal automatic aid agreements for fire protection with the surrounding Cities of Monrovia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, San Gabriel, Sierra Madre, Alhambra, Montebello, Monterey Park, Glendale, and Burbank and Los Angeles County. The City also has a mutual aid contract with the United States U.S. Forest Service for fire protection in hillside and brush areas. As an additional safety measure, the City participates in the State of California Master Mutual Aid program. The Police Department maintains a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team comprised of approximately 16 tactical operators. The Arcadia Police Department is a member of a regional police helicopter program, called the Foothill Air Support Team (FAST). FAST is a cooperative program among the cities Cities of Alhambra, Arcadia, Monrovia, Covina, Pasadena, Glendora, La Verne, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and West Covina that provides regional helicopter support services to aid in any crime or emergency situation. Threats to National Security After the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, the harsh reality of large terrorist attacks affecting the United States domestically became part of the public consciousness. In response, the City’s emergency preparedness and response services expanded to address terrorism issues. At the Federal, State, and local levels, a considerable amount of information has been generated on potential vulnerabilities, protective measures, and anti-terrorism technologies. The City’s Police and Fire Departments recognize the need not only to learn from the lessons from 9/September 11, but also to collectively address terrorism planning and policy issues that most affect Arcadia. The City’s strong relationship with Federal and State law enforcement agencies is helping secure the City. The California Anti-Terrorism Information Center was 8-50 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 formed in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon to provide law enforcement with statewide intelligence support to combat terrorism. Through the center, law enforcement agencies in California can obtain information on terrorist threats and activities anywhere in the State through a secure, central database. Reliable information from the center that meets the stringent guidelines for intelligence gathering and civil rights protections are is made available only to authorized local, State, and Federal law enforcement personnel as necessary to protect the health and safety of Californians and others at risk from criminal terrorist activity. Goals and Policies Arcadia’s investments in its fire and police forces have created a community that experiences very low levels of fire incidents and crime and that allow allows residents to participate in volunteer programs that help keep the community safe. To address possible threats to national security, the City will continue to work with federal and State law enforcement agencies. Through its ACTION program, Arcadia will continue to prepare community members with appropriate prevention measures to help detect suspicious activity and to appropriate response and readiness measures to any terrorist activities to ensure that life-threatening situations are avoided Federal and State law enforcement agencies. Goal S-8: To provide a continued high level of fire and police protection services, with an emphasis on prevention reducing risk and education Policy S-8.1: Involve Police and Fire Department personnel as an integral part of new development and redevelopment review process. Policy S-8.2: Integrate new technologies and crime and fire prevention concepts into the design and construction of new, remodeled, and replaced development, as well as into all public facilities and parks. Policy S-8.3: Maintain fire and police stations, facilities, and services sufficient to meet high public safety standards, as established by the City Council. Policy S-8.4: Monitor the development of technology for fire and law enforcement services and acquire and use of the latest technology as funding permits to enhance emergency services. Policy S-8.5: Continue to prioritize and maintain robust Maintain a high level of community engagement in crime prevention and community safety by ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-51 supporting community participation in crime and fire prevention through public education and outreach programs. Policy S-8.6: Maintain automatic aid agreements, mutual aid agreements, and communication links with County, State, and Federal agencies and with other municipalities participating in emergency operations planning. Policy S-8.7: Coordinate information sharing with State and Federal law enforcement agencies regarding potential terrorist threats. Policy S-8.8: Promote public awareness and preparedness regarding any unique emergency response to address terrorist threats. Policy S-8.9: Provide the City of Arcadia with an all-risk fire service by providing and maintaining a full range of services that are intended to instill a sense of safety and well-being throughout the community. Services will include emergency medical services, fire prevention and education, protection from hazards of fire, hazardous materials, and domestic terrorism, and urban search and rescue. Policy S-8.10: Strive to meet minimum training requirements for all safety personnel set forth by State and Federal guidelines. Policy S-8.11: Require new development projects to pay their fair share of costs associated with any necessary increases in public safety equipment, facilities, and staffing to provide life safety protection. Policy S-8.12: Provide and maintain a joint training facility for the Fire Department and other City Departments. 8-52 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Emergency Preparedness Arcadia sets emergency preparedness as one of its top priorities, recognizing that proper planning at all levels in the community —from response agencies to businesses and residents—will minimize the adverse effects of natural and human- caused disasters. Arcadia provides quality, effective police and fire services, personnel, and volunteers who are committed to safety and tirelessly work to plan and prepare for all types of emergencies and disasters. The City’s Emergency Preparedness Program allows it to prepare for and respond effectively to emergencies. Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs The Fire Department’s Emergency Services Division coordinates Arcadia’s emergency operations during a human-caused or natural disaster. The division manages the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), a central command post to manage emergency efforts, in the event of a disaster. In addition, this division is responsible for developing and maintaining the citywide Emergency Operation Plan (EOP), which includes designing and conducting annual EOC drills, ranging from table-top exercises to full-scale functional drills, for City employees so that EOC workers from all City departments can practice how to respond to emergencies. Past exercises have included the large-scale evacuation of the mall, response to a major earthquake, large-scale contamination, and a pandemic flu. Other participants in these drills have included the Methodist Hospital, the Arcadia Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Arcadia Unified School District. The City’s ACTION program (Arcadians Caring Together Improves Our Neighborhoods) is an example of the Fire Department working with other City departments and the community to provide valuable information regarding emergency preparedness, fire safety, first aid, earthquake preparedness, and crime prevention. The ACTION program covers general emergency preparedness with information on putting together a survival kit, first aid kit, storing appropriate food and water, and how to care for people with special needs in the time of an emergency. The ACTION program also addresses earthquake preparedness, terrorism preparedness, crime prevention, and fire safety and prevention, and provides an emergency resource guide. Emergency Plans Arcadia has adopted an Emergency Operations Plan that addresses Arcadia’s response to extraordinary emergency situations associated with natural disasters, technological incidents, and threats to national security. It provides operational concepts related to the various emergency situations, identifies components of the City of Arcadia Emergency Management Organization, and describes the overall responsibilities of the organization for protecting life and property and assuring the overall well being of the population. The plan also identifies the sources of outside support which might be provided (through mutual aid and specific statutory authorities) by other jurisdictions, State and federal agencies, and the private sector. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-53 In 2010, Arcadia adopted a Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan in response to requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA. Like this Safety Element, the plan promotes policy aimed at protecting the City from natural hazards. The policy design revolves around an effort to increase public awareness and document resources needed to reduce risks. Critical Facilities As part of its emergency planning and response program, and to address hazard mitigation through prevention, the City has identified “critical facilities” that serve an essential or important function in disaster situations (government and public safety buildings, hospitals, and major transportation infrastructure) and/or contain concentrations of population (schools, large office and residential buildings). These are places from which emergency operations and response can be conducted. With regard to schools, they can be used for assembly and shelter; thus, it is critically important that schools be at locations removed from hazardous conditions, both to provide this support function and to minimize impact to school children and staff when a disaster occurs. Table S-3 and Figure S-8 identify the critical facilities in Arcadia. Table S-3 also indicates that a few facilities are located within known or suspected fault hazard and/or liquefaction zones. Map Key Name Address Liquefact ion Potential Surface Rupture Potential Government Buildings and Facilities 1 Arcadia Public Library 20 W. Duarte Road 2 City Hall 240 W. Huntington Drive 3 Community Center 365 Campus Drive 4 Police Department 250 W. Huntington Drive 5 Public Works Service Department 11800 Goldring Road X High Population Buildings 1 Elks Lodge 27 W. Huntington Drive 2 Embassy Suites 211 E. Huntington Drive 3 Extended Stay 401 E. Santa Clara Street 4 Hampton Inn 311 E. Huntington Drive 5 Hilton Garden Inn 199 N. Second Avenue 6 Motel 6 225 Colorado Place 7 Santa Anita Race Track 285 W. Huntington Drive X 8 Springfield Suites 99 N. Second Avenue 9 Town Center Building 150 N. Santa Anita Avenue 10 Wellington Court Apartments 601 Sunset Boulevard X 11 Westfield Shopping Town 400 S. Baldwin Avenue Medical Facilities 1 Arcadia Convalescent Hospital 1601 S. Baldwin Avenue 2 Arcadia Methodist Hospital 300 W. Huntington Drive 8-54 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 3 Arcadia Out-Patient Surgery Center 624 Duarte Road 4 California Home for the Aged Deaf 529 Las Tunas Drive 5 Country Villa Healthcare Center 400 W. Huntington Drive 6 Medical Building 612 W. Duarte Road 7 Medical Office 622 W. Duarte Road 8 Medical Plaza 301 W. Huntington Drive Nursing Homes 1 Arcadia Gardens Retirement Hotel 720 W. Camino Real Avenue 2 Arcadia Retirement Center 753 W. Duarte Road 3 Arcadia Royale Retirement Hotel 607 W. Duarte Road 4 Naomi Gardens 655 W. Naomi Avenue Schools 1 Arcadia Christian School 1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue X 2 Arcadia Friends Church Pre-School 5705 Lenore Avenue 3 Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive 4 Arcadia Parent Participation Nursery School 1511 S. Tenth Avenue 5 Arcadia Presbyterian Child Development Center 121 Alice Street 6 Baldwin Stocker Elementary School 422 E. Lomon Avenue 7 B'Nai Simcha Jewish Pre-School 550 S. Second Avenue 8 Camino Grove Elementary School 700 Camino Grove Avenue 9 Emmanuel Montessori School 66 W. Duarte Road 10 First Avenue Middle School 301 First Avenue 11 Foothill Middle School 171 E. Sycamore Avenue X X 12 Highland Oaks Elementary School 10 Virginia Road 13 Holly Avenue Elementary School 360 W. Duarte Road 14 Holly Oaks Christian School 141 Las Tunas Drive 15 Holy Angels School 360 Campus Drive 16 Hugo Reid Elementary School 1000 Hugo Reid Drive X X 17 Hugo Reid Primary 1153 De Anza Place X 18 Huntington Continuation High School 150 S. Third Avenue 19 Longley Way Elementary School 2601 S. Longley Way 20 Montessori School 1406 S. Santa Anita Avenue 21 Richard H Dana Middle School 1401 S. First Avenue 22 Serendipity Day Care 120 S. Third Avenue 23 Wonder World Pre-School 2607 S. Santa Anita Avenue Freeway Over/Underpasses I-605 Freeway @ Lower Azusa overpass East of City I-210 Freeway @ Huntington Dr underpass Bridge I-210 Freeway @ Santa Anita underpass Bridge X I-210 Freeway @ Second Street underpass Bridge I-210 Freeway @ Baldwin Av underpass Bridge I-210 Freeway @ Michillinda underpass Bridge I-210 Freeway @ Rosemead Bl underpass City sphere on the west X* Railroads, Reservoirs, and Dams Railroad Crossing W. Colorado Bridge west of Santa Anita Avenue Railroad Crossing Second Street Bridge at Huntington Drive Railroad Crossing Santa Anita Avenue At Santa Clara Street ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-55 Metrolink Station (Future) Near Wheeler Avenue Metrolink Crossing SR-210 Freeway At I-210 Freeway Santa Anita Reservoirs West of City on the north Baldwin Reservoir Baldwin/Orange Grove Emergency preparation and response are important components in ensuring residents are ready for hazards and first responders can adequately serve residents in the event of a hazard. The City has an Emergency Operations Plan that informed this element and acts as an extension to the State of California Emergency Plan and the Los Angeles County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan. Preparedness The City of Arcadia Fire Department provides fire and medical emergency services to the City. The City also encourages residents to register for the free online program Community Connect, which allows property owners to provide valuable information to first responders such as the number of people living in the home, where hazardous materials are stored, and where the bedrooms are. This allows the response team to more effectively provide their services if a disaster strikes. The Arcadia Fire Department also publishes educational videos and other materials to encourage residents to create their own Emergency Management System so communities can better prepare themselves to respond to any given hazard. Furthermore, the City created an emergency notification system, Alert Arcadia, that can notify residents immediately with emergency alerts and updates. Response Currently, the City’s response capacity meets the needs of the community, with an average emergency response time of 2–8 minutes depending on the services required and the severity of the incident. Regarding mutual aid and coordination, the City of Arcadia is located within Office of Emergency Management Mutual Aid Region I, and the Office of Emergency Services (OES) Southern Administrative Region. During local emergencies, mutual aid is requested from nearby agencies by the Incident Commander. The City’s Emergency Operations Plan includes recommended National Incident Management System and Standardized Emergency Management System trainings, which the City bases its training decisions on for designated emergency personnel. Emergency Response Facilities St. Joseph Reservoir Second and Chestnut Santa Anita Dam North of City Morris S. Jones Dam Northwest of City Sierra Madre Dam Northwest of City Sawpit Dam Northeast of City Santa Fe Dam East of City 8-56 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Emergency response facilities are those activated during an emergency and used to respond to the hazard. The City operates an independent Fire Department for fire protection and other medical emergency-related services. There are three fire stations in Arcadia, one in the center of the City along the western end of Huntington Drive and another at the eastern end of College Drive. The third station sits in the north along West Orange Grove Avenue nearest the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone in the foothills. Numerous fire stations operated by the County of Los Angeles and neighboring cities lie just beyond Arcadia’s boundaries. Furthermore, the Angeles National Forest and other smaller State Park lands are just beyond the northern border of Arcadia and are under the fire protection of their associated agencies. Coordination between jurisdictions and different levels of government is imperative for fire management. Critical Facilities Critical facilities are places essential to the function of the City or public buildings that can be used to gather people and equipment during hazard response and recovery (see Table S-4). There are 12 critical and essential facilities that are vulnerable to hazards, as shown in Figure S-10, Critical Facilities. Non-Critical Public Facilities Non-critical public facilities are those that can be used for hazard recovery to gather resources, distribute information, or serve as shelters (see Table S-4). These are generally flexible facilities that can be activated and would likely not all be used at once during a hazard event. Non-critical facilities can also serve as cooling facilities that provide air condition during extreme heat events. Some non-critical public facilities include Arcadia’s schools and its two public libraries. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-57 Figure S-10 Critical Facilities 8-58 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Evacuation Routes In the event of an extreme fire, flood, or other circumstance, evacuation may be necessary. To preserve the lives of Arcadia residents, it is important to ensure that the routes used for evacuation are unobstructed and in good condition. Evacuation routes in Arcadia include Colorado Boulevard, Huntington Drive and the 210 Freeway, and the main arterials shown in Figure S-11. These evacuation routes are outside of flood and fire hazard areas in Arcadia, and different routes can be activated as necessary to avoid hazards outside Arcadia. Additionally, there are two choke points in Arcadia where development in the VHFHSZ only have one point of access out of the community. These single points of access serve 117 homes, and both meet the evacuation route network on East Sycamore Avenue and shown on Figure S-12. TABLE S-4. CRITICAL AND NON-CRITICAL FACILITIES Facility Type Name Address Relevant Risk Libraries City Library 20 West Duarte Road Extreme Heat LA County Library 22 West Live Oak Avenue Extreme Heat, Liquefaction Police Police Station 250 W. Huntington Drive Extreme Heat Fire Fire Station 105 710 S. Santa Anita Avenue Extreme Heat Fire Station 106 630 S. Baldwin Avenue Extreme Heat Fire Station 107 79 W. Orange Grove Avenue Extreme Heat Schools Arcadia High School 180 Campus Drive Extreme Heat Dana Middle School 1401 South First Avenue Extreme Heat First Avenue Middle School 301 South First Avenue Extreme Heat Foothills Middle School 171 East Sycamore Avenue Extreme Heat, Wildfire, Earthquake, Liquefaction Baldwin Stocker Elementary School 422 West Lemon Avenue Extreme Heat Camino Grove Elementary School 700 Camino Grove Avenue Extreme Heat Highland Oaks Elementary School 10 Virginia Drive Extreme Heat, Wildfire Holly Avenue Elementary School 360 West Duarte Road Extreme Heat Hugo Reid Elementary School 1000 Hugo Reid Drive Extreme Heat, Earthquake, Liquefaction Longley Way Elementary School 2601 Longley Way Extreme Heat Rancho Learning Center 150 South Third Avenue Extreme Heat ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-59 TABLE S-4. CRITICAL AND NON-CRITICAL FACILITIES Facility Type Name Address Relevant Risk Rancho Lab School 150 South Third Avenue Extreme Heat Hospitals USC Arcadia Hospital 300 Huntington Drive Extreme Heat Community Centers Arcadia Community Center (City) 375 Campus Drive Extreme Heat Public Facilities Museum Education Center 385 West Huntington Drive Extreme Heat Arcadia Par 3 Golf Course 620 East Live Oak Avenue Extreme Heat, Liquefaction Recreation & Community Services 375 West Huntington Drive Extreme Heat City Hall 240 West Huntington Drive Extreme Heat Public Works Yard 11800 Goldring Road Extreme Heat, Liquefaction Chamber of Commerce Building 388 W. Huntington Drive Extreme Heat Parks Bicentennial Park 518 East Longdon Avenue Extreme Heat Bonita Park 100 South Second Avenue Extreme Heat Camino Grove Park 1420 South Sixth Avenue Extreme Heat Civic Center Field 240 West Huntington Drive Extreme Heat Eisenhower Memorial Park 601 North Second Avenue Extreme Heat Fairview Avenue Park 542 Fairview Avenue Extreme Heat Forest Avenue Park 132 West Forest Avenue Earthquake, Extreme Heat, Liquefaction Hugo Reid Park Michillinda Avenue and Hugo Reid Drive Earthquake, Extreme Heat, Liquefaction Longden Avenue Park 1179 East Longden Avenue Extreme Heat Newcastle Park 143 West Colorado Boulevard Extreme Heat Orange Grove Park 67 West Orange Grove Avenue Extreme Heat Tierra Verde Park 2nd Avenue and Camino Real Avenue Extreme Heat Tripolis Friendship Park Goldenwest Avenue and Fairview Avenue Extreme Heat Wilderness Park 2240 North Highland Oaks Drive Extreme Heat, Wildfire, Liquefaction Note: Bolded text indicates a critical facility. 8-60 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Figure S-11 Evacuation Routes ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-61 Figure S-12 Residential Areas with Single Point of Access 8-62 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Goals and Policies Coupled with its commitment to prevent disasters large and small is the City’s resolve to be well prepared to respond to any type of emergency. This includes a solid Emergency Management Plan and sound planning for critical facilities such as hospitals, police and fire facilities, communication and emergency operations centers, and places of community assembly. Goal S-9: Comprehensive and effective emergency and disaster response preparedness Policy S-9.1: Coordinate with Los Angeles County, adjacent municipalities, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the California Emergency Management Agency, and other regional agencies in reducing the risk of loss of life, injury, and property damage in the event of an emergency. Policy S-9.2: Coordinate with other government agencies and organizations to leverage resources related to seismic technology and information and emergency preparedness. Policy S-9.3: Maintain an up-to-date Emergency Operations Plan and Natural local Hazard Mitigation Plan on a five 5-year basis to secure adequate Federal resources in the event of a disaster. Policy S-9.4: Conduct ongoing public outreach and promote community awareness regarding emergency notifications, evacuation routes, and procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency. Focus outreach on identified vulnerable populations, for example by contacting and building partnerships with community-based organizations that represent the vulnerable population groups. Policy S-9.5: Integrate the goals and action items from the City’s emergency response and preparedness plans into regulatory documents and City processes, where appropriate. Policy S-9.6: Monitor the development of technology for the use in the Emergency Operations Center, and acquire and use the latest technology as funding permits to enhance emergency services. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 SAFETY | 8-63 Policy S-9.7 Create resilience centers throughout Arcadia to ensure frontline communities are equipped to respond, recover, and rebuild after a hazard event. Policy S-9.8 Support policies that promote education and resilience awareness about the effects of climate change- induced hazards and ways to adapt and build resiliency to climate change. Policy S-9.9 Coordinate with other County and public agencies, such as transportation agencies and health care providers, on emergency planning, response activities, evacuation planning, and recovery resources. Focus recovery resources toward the most vulnerable households and populations (e.g. elderly individuals, individuals with disabilities, etc.). Policy S-9.10 Ensure that essential public facilities are maintained during disasters. Policy S-9.11 Pursue development impact fees to set aside funding for solutions to address future needs related to emergency response time in the City. This would ensure adequate fire protection for new developments and may include staffing, station coverage, apparatus, equipment, and infrastructure such as a preemption system integrated with City traffic lights. 8-64 | SAFETY ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 Introduction 8-1 Achieving Our Vision 8-2 Scope of this Element 8-3 Emerging Hazards 8-9 Goals and Policies 8-11 Environmental Hazards 8-12 Goals and Policies 8-22 Goals and Policies 8-29 Goals and Policies 8-35 Human-Caused Hazards 8-37 Goals and Policies 8-40 Emergency Services 8-42 Goals and Policies 8-48 Emergency Preparedness 8-50 Goals and Policies 8-57 TABLE S-1. READER’S GUIDE TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE SAFETY ELEMENT 8-4 TABLE S-2. FAULTS NEAR ARCADIA 8-14 TABLE S-3. MODIFIED MERCALLI INTENSITY SCALE 8-17 TABLE S-4. CRITICAL AND NON-CRITICAL FACILITIES 8-53 Attachment No. 3 Attachment No. 3 Errata Sheet and Draft Environmental Justice Element Errata sheet – Environmental Justice Element Page Number Before After 10-21 “However, the age of the Arcadia’s housing stock…” “However, the age of Arcadia’s housing stock…” 10-23, 10-25, 10-26 Goal and policy nomenclature updated. The existing forma is: “Goal X” “Policy X.XX” Goal and policy nomenclature updated to include “EJ”, as follows: “Goal EJ-X” “Policy EJ-X.XX” Various URL formatting is updated throughout the document to remove breaks, to restore hyperlinks. No changes to the text were made. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE | 10-1 Chapter 10: Environmental Justice Element Arcadia General Plan 8 x Introduction The Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice (EJ) as the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Environmental justice involves creating healthy and safe communities for all, with a focus on correcting disproportionate health impacts. The goals and policies of this Environmental Justice Element are primarily focused on the following issues that were defined by the community: • Reducing pollution exposure: Specifically related to air pollution adjacent to major roads and freeways. • Preparing for climate change impacts: Information and resources to help prepare for hazard events such as extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and flooding. This is especially true for renters and those who live in older housing units. • Promoting active and public transportation: Improvements to walking and biking infrastructure and multimodal street design to reduce unsafe interactions. • Improving parks and public facilities: Providing a greater diversity of activities and features. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-2 • Promoting safe and sanitary housing: Lack of affordable housing as well as maintenance and weatherization issues, and homelessness. Relevant Legislation Through the passage of Senate Bill 1000, local governments across California are required to assess if any disadvantaged communities exist within their boundaries. If there is a disadvantaged community identified, environmental justice must be added as a component of the general plan. Per California Government Code Section 65302(h), this environmental justice component must include policies to reduce the “unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities,” “promote civic engagement in the public decision-making process,” and “prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities.” Per the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research General Plan Guidelines, there are two steps to identify disadvantaged communities as they are defined in California Government Code Section 65302(h): 1. Identify Census tracts or portions thereof within the planning area that fall within the 75th percentile of CalEnviroScreen scores. This would indicate that those tracts experience a high pollution burden compared to the majority of tracts in the state. If this threshold is met, an EJ element must be completed, and jurisdictions also must move to step 2. If this threshold is not met, jurisdictions may but are not required to move to step 2. 2. Identify Census tracts or portions thereof within the planning area that have been identified as “low-income communities” per California Health and Safety Code Section 39713(d)(2). Then, assess environmental conditions in these low-income communities using community feedback and public health data such as the Public Health Alliance of Southern California’s Healthy Places Index. The Healthy Places Index uses a variety of social and environmental indicators to measure how healthy communities are at the census tract level. “Disadvantaged community” means an area identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code or an area that is a low-income area that is disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation. —California Government Code Section 65302(h) ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-3 This analysis screened for disadvantaged communities using the two-step process. Per CalEnviroScreen 4.0, there is a census tract scoring in the 75th percentile located on the southeastern tip of Arcadia (see Figure EJ-1, CalEnviroScreen 4.0). This census tract is split between Arcadia and El Monte because census tracts do not follow City boundaries. The portion within Arcadia is zoned entirely for Industrial and Public/Institutional, but includes two non- conforming single family residences. This area of Arcadia has been identified and zoned for industrial uses for many decades and the nonconforming status of the homes means that if they become vacant, they will lose their residential use rights after 90 days. Therefore, this Element focuses on citywide needs to best promote long-term environmental justice concerns. There are also two low-income census tracts in Arcadia (see Figure EJ-2, Low Income Communities). These census tracts were not considered to have unique or compounded health risks as determined by the Healthy Places Index and, therefore, are not disadvantaged communities. As a result of the limited residential presence in Arcadia’s only disadvantaged community, the City of Arcadia (City) has primarily taken a citywide approach to addressing environmental justice concerns. This Environmental Justice Element evaluates environmental justice-related topics throughout Arcadia and includes a policy matrix based on these findings and input gathered from community members. “Non-conforming residential uses” are residential land uses on parcels that are not designated or zoned for residential uses in the Arcadia General Plan Land Use/Zoning Map. When redeveloped, these sites will need to conform with the land use designation and zoning code and therefore will not be residential. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-4 Figure EJ-1: CalEnviroScreen 4.0 ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-5 Figure EJ-2: Low-Income Communities ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-6 Achieving Our Vision This Environmental Justice Element is intended to promote a clean and healthy environment for everyone as well as an abundance of resources to support the well-being of residents. It does this by addressing environmental justice concerns and expanding community resources throughout Arcadia while bridging any gaps in underserved areas and populations. Consistent with the other general plan elements, this element will address environmental justice concerns through a set of goals and policies. Goals are broad statements that align with the community’s long-term vision for the City. Policies are focused strategies that help achieve these goals by guiding decision making. Environmental Justice Element goals and policies were developed based on feedback from the community and the findings of the background report. Policies are implemented by specific programs in the Implementation Plan (Chapter 10 of the Arcadia General Plan). Implementation programs identify specific and measurable actions as well as responsible agencies, funding sources, and time frames for these actions. They create visible and measurable change in Arcadia. See Chapter 10, Implementation Plan, for implementation programs associated with all elements of the Arcadia General Plan, including this Environmental Justice Element. Scope of This Element Relationship to Other General Plan Elements This Environmental Justice Element is subject to the requirement for internal consistency with all other elements in the general plan per Government Code Section 65300.5. Environmental Justice Element goals and policies must align with the goals and policies of other elements and with programs in the implementation plan. For example, a policy to expand park access in a particular area must be consistent with the allowable land uses for that area according to the Land Use and Community Design Element. This ensures that environmental justice goals and policies are feasible and do not contradict or otherwise undermine other general plan goals and policies. Relationship to Other Adopted Plans Many topics covered in this Environmental Justice Element are related to other plans that the City has adopted, including the Arcadia Recreation and Parks Master Plan and the Arcadia Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Recreation and Parks Master Plan identifies community priorities and issues to be addressed related to parks and recreation facilities and programs. Moreover, it provides tiered recommendations on how to improve parks and recreation in Arcadia. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-7 This Environmental Justice Element will complement and build upon these recommendations to help expand access to parks and community centers and promote physical activity. The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan outlines emergency mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery strategies related to known hazards including flooding, fire, and seismic activity. This Environmental Justice Element will consider how these hazards may disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and the ways in which climate change will exacerbate these hazards and their impacts on vulnerable communities. Community Outreach Results In order to identify potential needs and opportunities with regards to each environmental justice topic, the City hosted a community meeting while developing this element. This meeting, which was advertised via the City’s website, was held as a webinar on October 11, 2023. The meeting consisted of a presentation explaining environmental justice, the purpose of this element, and the importance of community participation in the process, as well as an interactive activity to gather community feedback. The activity consisted of two components: a series of anonymous multiple-choice poll questions, and opportunities to answer additional questions and provide more feedback on each of the environmental justice concerns covered in this element. Questions were asked related to 1) civic engagement, 2) concerns related to pollution exposure, 3) concerns related to hazardous impacts caused by climate change such as extreme heat, flooding, and wildfire, 4) access to healthy foods, 5) active and public transportation options, 6) parks and public facilities, and 7) safe and sanitary housing. Based on the results provided by the community members who participated, concerns were raised relative to pollution exposure from the I-210 Freeway and major arterials streets, a lack of perceived information or resources about what to do in the event of emergencies or extreme weather events, improved bike lanes and safe alternative transportation options, and inclusive parks and public facilities. A specific topic of conversation was the lack of affordable housing in Arcadia, and concerns among rental properties related to weatherization and maintenance. Each of these issues are described in detail in the next Section. Environmental Justice Topics Consistent with Senate Bill 1000, the City of Arcadia’s Environmental Justice Element analyzed the current conditions as it relates to active and public transportation, access to healthy food options, access to parks and community centers, exposure to local and regional pollution, housing quality and affordability, climate adaptation, and recent community engagement efforts. This Section assesses the existing conditions in Arcadia with regard to each of these environmental justice topics and includes a summary of community engagement findings as they relate to each topic. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-8 Active and Public Transportation Walking, biking, and taking public transit are affordable alternatives to driving and serve as great opportunities to be physically active, resulting in positive health outcomes. For this reason, it is important to ensure that everyone in Arcadia has equitable access to opportunities for convenient and safe walking, biking, and public transit use. Moreover, safe walking and biking was identified as a community priority during the community meeting. Community members have expressed their concerns about traffic safety, the lack of connectivity in the bike and pedestrian network, and car-centric street design. This Section will evaluate access to active and public transportation in Arcadia. Public transportation services in Arcadia are provided by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Los Angeles County’s primary transportation agency; Foothill Transit, a regional transit system that primarily operates in the San Gabriel Valley, with limited service outside of the region; and Arcadia Transit, a local transit system serving the City of Arcadia. Metro operates four local bus routes in Arcadia and provides service on major local thoroughfares such as Baldwin Avenue, Santa Anita Avenue, and Huntington Drive. Local routes 179 and 287 terminate at Arcadia Station, where transit riders can connect to the system’s 48.5-mile A Line light-rail route. The longest light-rail line in the world, the A Line enables connectivity to Azusa in the east, downtown Los Angeles to the south, and even further south to Long Beach. Foothill Transit operates a fixed-route bus service along Huntington Avenue and provides limited service in Arcadia’s northeastern area. Arcadia Transit operates three fixed-route services: the Green Line which runs primarily along Huntington Drive and Baldwin Avenue, the Blue Line which runs primarily along Holly Avenue and Duarte Road, and the Red Line that runs primarily along First Avenue and Sixth Avenue. Together, Metro, Foothill , and Arcadia Transit provide transit services throughout Arcadia. Around 72% of households are within walking distance (0.25 miles) of a bus stop, and around 93% are within biking distance (0.5 miles) of a bus stop. Moreover, most areas within Arcadia rank highly on the National Walkability Index, especially those near major bus lines. Additionally, Arcadia Transit offers Dial-A-Ride Services for residents who are seniors or have disability status. In addition to public transportation, active transportation routes in Arcadia allow non-motorized users, such as people who bike and walk, to move around safely. Currently, Arcadia contains one Class I bikeway, part of the extensive Rio Hondo bike path system, beginning just inside Arcadia’s border with El Monte and linking to the Los Angeles River bike path. A majority of bikeways are Class II, or striped bike lanes that separate people who bike from cars on the road. Where Class II bikeways are not feasible, the City employs Class III bikeways, with plans to shift toward Class II in the future.1 1 City of Arcadia. 2010. “Chapter 4: Circulation and Infrastructure Element.” In Arcadia General Plan, 4-1–4-47. Adopted November 2010. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://cms9files.revize.com/arcadia/Shape%20Arcadia/Development%20Servic es/general%20plan/Circulation%20and%20Infrastructure.pdf. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-9 The City’s bike map, last updated in 2013, indicates Class II bikeways are somewhat fragmented, and the majority of bikeways are Class III, where people who bike share the road with vehicles. Overall, an incomplete bicycle network prevents easy and comfortable movement around Arcadia. As shown in Table EJ-1, Transportation Trends, less than 5% of workers in Arcadia use public transportation or active transportation to commute to work. This number is significantly lower than the proportion of workers in Los Angeles County and across California, though this may be attributed to several factors, including that residents of Arcadia are more likely to own cars, whereas many active commuters in Los Angeles do not do so by choice. The City’s Circulation and Infrastructure Element of its general plan contains several goals and policies that aim to improve public and active transportation, through strategies that entail collaboration with Metro and Foothill Transit agencies and the development of a citywide bicycle network, for example. Certain policies have already been implemented, such as Policy CI-3.6 which aimed to bring light rail service to Arcadia and was achieved when the Arcadia Station of the Foothill Gold Line – now Metro A Line – was completed in 2015. Continued efforts to improve public and active transportation connections to this station may incentivize more residents to utilize these options. Table EJ-1. Transportation Trends Indicator Location Arcadia Los Angeles County California Active Commuting1 4.09% 9.65% 8.99% Car Access2 96.50% 91.20% 92.90% Source: The Public Health Alliance of Southern California. 2022. The California Healthy Places Index [map viewer]. https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/. Legend: Quartile 1 = Good, Quartile 2 = Moderate, Quartile 3 = Poor, Quartile 4 = Challenged 1 Percentage of workers (16 years or older) who commute to work by transit, walking, or biking. 2 Percentage of households with access to a car. Climate Change Climate change is projected to exacerbate certain hazards, including extreme temperature events, wildfires, and floods. Therefore, Arcadia must work to prepare all residents for the impacts of climate change. Community members have shared concerns that their homes were not prepared for extreme heat and wildfire smoke, with renters facing the added barrier of communicating the needed improvements to their landlords. Residents also have communicated that they could use more information on the resources available to them during hazard events and that outdoor public spaces should have more cooling features. Certain populations are more vulnerable to the effects of said hazard events including older adults, young children, renters, outdoor workers, active ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-10 commuters, those with limited mobility, and those who do not speak English as their first language. As shown in Table EJ-2, Populations Vulnerable to Climate-Related Hazards, Arcadia has a relatively high proportion of older adults and limited-English speakers compared to California overall. Therefore, policies should focus on preparing these groups for climate-related hazards. For more information about climate-related hazards, vulnerable populations, emergency preparedness, and safety policies for vulnerable populations, refer to Arcadia General Plan Chapter 8: Safety Element. Table EJ-2. Populations Vulnerable During Climate-Related Hazards Indicator Location Arcadia Los Angeles County California Older Adults1 18.6% 13.3% 14% Young Children2 5.05% 6.11% 6.3% Outdoor Workers 3.52% 6.01% 8% Active Commuters3 4.09% 9.65% 8.99% Population with a Disability 2.54% 3.81% N/A Limited-English Speakers4 30.7% 23.8% N/A Source: The Public Health Alliance of Southern California. 2022. The California Healthy Places Index [map viewer]. https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/. Legend: Quartile 1 = Good, Quartile 2 = Moderate, Quartile 3 = Poor, Quartile 4 = Challenged Note: The table is colored to provide an understanding of the rate of vulnerabilities to air pollution and does not indicate that certain traits are overall “good” or “bad.” 1 Percent of people aged 65 and older. 2 Percentage of population who are young children under 5 years old. 3 Percent of workers (16 years and older) who commute to work by transit, walking, or cycling. 4 Percent of people, aged 5 and older, who speak English “less than very well.” Healthy Food Access to healthy food is essential for all community members. Healthy food did not come up as a major issue during the community meeting, but access to healthy food was analyzed to determine if there are any areas with limited access so that these areas can be prioritized when adding new food sources like community gardens, farmers markets, and grocery stores. As shown in Table EJ-3, Grocery Store Access, 52.4% of Arcadia residents live within a half mile of a grocery store, which is below Los Angeles County’s average of 61.9% but slightly higher than the California average of 50.6%. As ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-11 shown in Figure EJ-3, Communities Within Walking and Biking Distance of a Grocery Store, grocery stores are distributed around Arcadia, with a concentration near the intersection of South Baldwin Avenue and West Duarte Road; while areas in the northern and southeastern parts of Arcadia have to travel farther to grocery stores than these areas, they tend to have greater levels of car access. Having access to a car makes it much easier to travel to a grocery store; therefore, residents in these areas likely do not have trouble getting to grocery store even though they are not located within walking or biking distance. Table EJ-3. Grocery Store Access Indicator Location Arcadia Los Angeles County California Supermarket Access1 52.4% 61.9% 50.6% Source: The Public Health Alliance of Southern California. 2022. The California Healthy Places Index [map viewer]. https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/. Legend: Quartile 1 = Good, Quartile 2 = Moderate, Quartile 3 = Poor, Quartile 4 = Challenged 1 Percent of urban population residing less than a half mile from a grocery store. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-12 Figure EJ-3: Communities Within Walking and Biking Distance of a Grocery Store ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-13 Parks and Public Facilities Parks, community centers, and other public facilities provide useful amenities that may be accessed by the public for zero or low cost and are generally associated with higher quality of life. Additionally, due to their communal nature, individuals are more likely to build social relationships and feel connected to their communities, which may result in higher civic participation and involvement. Community members discussed the importance of parks and public facilities at the Environmental Justice Community Meeting and identified key areas for improvement such as providing a greater variety of amenities that appeal to a diverse population. This Section assesses existing parks and public facilities in Arcadia. The Arcadia Community Center, operated by the City’s Recreation and Community Services Department, hosts events, classes, and programs for youth, adults, and older adult populations. Programming is offered throughout the week, including weekends, and includes supportive services, sports and recreation, family events, opportunities to interact with City officials, and more. The Arcadia Community Center is centrally located a half mile from Arcadia High School and a mile from Arcadia County Park and is serviced by local bus routes, making it accessible for the City’s population. The Arcadia Public Library is located in a residential neighborhood adjacent to Arcadia High School and is a half-mile walking distance from both Metro bus line 287 and Arcadia Transit Blue Line transit stops. In addition to general library services such as book lending and technology services, the library also provides passport services. The library is open 6 days a week and operates from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Los Angeles County Public Library also operates in the southernmost part of Arcadia as the Live Oak Library, providing nearby residents with a more convenient library option. There are a total of 30 parks in Arcadia. Of these 30 parks, 15 are managed by the City, 4 are managed by the County of Los Angeles, and 11 are managed by the Arcadia Unified School District. The County of Los Angeles manages Arcadia Community Regional Park, the Los Angeles County Arboretum, Peck Road Water Conservation Park, and Santa Anita Golf Course. The Arcadia Unified School District maintains a joint use agreement with the City to allow public use of parks on or adjacent to school campuses when school is not in session. Currently, facilities of 11 schools are open for public use, including those of Arcadia High School, Foothills Middle School, and Highland Oaks Elementary School. All facilities are detailed in Table EJ-5, Use Restrictions by Park. Together, these parks service most of Arcadia’s population (see Figure EJ-4, Communities Within Walking and Biking Distance of a Park or Open Space). Residents north of Interstate 210 have access to 6 parks within the City, including 4 open access parks and 2 restricted use parks, and several additional parks just outside the City boundary including the Los Angeles National Forest. The remaining 24 parks are located south of Interstate 210 are distributed evenly throughout the area. However, the residential areas south of Duarte Road and west of Santa Anita Avenue only have access to parks on public school campuses, which are only ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-14 allowed to be used outside of school hours. Therefore, this area has slightly lower access to parks than other areas of the City. Overall, parks and recreational facilities comprise 680 acres in Arcadia, and 135 of these acres are open parkland that are either owned by the City or covered by joint use agreements with the Arcadia Unified School District, resulting in 2.46 acres of public park land for every 1,000 residents in the City. This statistic is below the median of 11.3 acres per 1,000 residents for a selection of similar- sized cities across the country, according to National Recreation and Park Association survey data.2 Nonetheless, the City has exceeded the acreage goal of its Parks and Recreation Policy 1.2, which calls for 2.43 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents3. Additionally many Arcadia residents live in close proximity to facilities operated by Los Angeles County, including the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Peck Road Water Conservation Park, and Arcadia Community Regional Park. Taking all these facilities into account, including those owned and operated by agencies other than the City of Arcadia, there are 12 acres of open space for every 1,000 residents in the City, although the open space is concentrated in several large parks with restricted access. As shown in Table EJ-4, slightly more than half of Arcadia residents live within a quarter mile, or comfortable walking distance, of a park with open public access. Greater than 70% of residents live within that distance of any park, including those with restricted access, such as parks with joint-use agreements. Almost everywhere in Arcadia is within biking distance of a park or open space when including those with restricted access, as shown in Figure EJ-4. 90.7% of residents live within 0.5 miles (a comfortable biking distance) of an open access park or open space. Therefore, a significantly higher portion of residents can access parks and open space via bike or similar mobility device than can access these areas by walking. 2 NRPA (National Recreation and Park Association). 2023. NRPA Agency Performance Review. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://www.nrpa.org/contentassets/3ae6ba685dbf47a1b537af2f15c615d9/202 3-agency-performance-review.pdf. 3 City of Arcadia. 2010. “Chapter 7: Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Element.” In Arcadia General Plan, 7-1–7-54. Adopted November 2010. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://cms9files.revize.com/arcadia/Shape%20Arcadia/Development%20Servic es/general%20plan/Parks%20Recreation%20and%20Community%20Resources.p df. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-15 Table EJ-4. Park Access1 Indicator Access Type Open Access Only Open and Restricted Access Walking Distance to a Park1 57.1% 70.8% Source: California Protected Areas Database. 2021. Parks and Open Space. Analysis Conducted in Urban Footprint. https://www.calands.org/. 1 Percentage of people living within a quarter mile of a park or open space. Parks and open space that have use restrictions may be closed to the public at certain times or may charge a fee for use. Parks with use restrictions include the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden and many schools within the Arcadia Unified School District which are under joint use agreements that allow the public to use their facilities when school is not in session. Table EJ-5, Use Restrictions by Park, identifies which parks have use restrictions and which allow open access by name. These parks and open spaces are also shown in Figure EJ-4 .The City is committed to providing quality parks and recreation facilities, as made evident by the goals and policies contained within the Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Element of the City’s general plan. Many of these goals and policies align with environmental justice goals and seek to fill service gaps in the community, such as Policy-PR.1.6, which prioritizes acquisition of land intended for parks in underserved neighborhoods. Community engagement to inform the 2017 Recreation and Parks Master Plan, included community workshops, focus groups, a phone survey, and community meetings, indicated most community members were concerned with park facility and amenity upgrades and maintenance, and many of those surveyed had a favorable opinion of recreational events and programming.4 Specifically, community outreach identified the following priorities, among others: • Upgrade existing and provide new children’s play areas • Upgrade or replace older park restrooms/concessions • Replace natural turf with synthetic turf • Replace or upgrade lighting, including lighted walking paths • New dog parks and facilities • Additional shade over play structures • Picnic and barbeque improvements • Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant access improvements • New facilities for community events • Upgrade landscape areas with drought-tolerant plant materials 4 City of Arcadia. 2017. Arcadia Recreation and Parks Master Plan. Adopted August 1, 2017. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://www.arcadiaca.gov/enrich/recreation___community_services/parks___f acilities/master_plan.php. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-16 • Improvements for sports fields such as new bleachers, dugouts, batting cages, team benches, and fencing • Parking lot upgrades and improvements Although the Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Element is wider in scope than the Recreation and Parks Master Plan, the Element’s Policy PR.1.13 and Policies PR.1.15–20 provide for maintenance, upgrades, and new facilities and amenities, in alignment with the Recreation and Parks Master Plan. Furthermore, this Environmental Justice Element intends to ensure equitable access to open space and parks and to the community health benefits that access provides. Table EJ-5 Use Restrictions by Park Park Name Use Restrictions? Arcadia Community Regional Park Open Access Arcadia High School Park Restricted Access Arcadia Par-3 Golf Course Restricted Access Arcadia Wilderness Park Open Access Baldwin Stocker Elementary School Park Restricted Access Bicentennial Park Open Access Bonita Park Open Access Camino Grove Park Open Access Camino Grove Elementary School Park Restricted Access Civic Center Field Open Access Dana Middle School Park Restricted Access Eisenhower Memorial Park Open Access Fairview Avenue Park Open Access First Avenue Middle School Park Restricted Access Foothills Middle School Park Restricted Access Forest Avenue Park Open Access ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-17 Table EJ-5 Use Restrictions by Park Park Name Use Restrictions? Highland Oaks Middle School Park Restricted Access Holly Avenue Park Restricted Access Hugo Reid Elementary School Park Restricted Access Hugo Reid Park Open Access Longden Avenue Park Open Access Longley Way Elementary School Park Restricted Access Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden Restricted Access Newcastle Park Open Access Orange Grove Park Open Access Peck Road Water Conservation Park Open Access Santa Anita Golf Course Restricted Access Santa Anita Park Restricted Access Tierra Verde Park Open Access Tripolis Friendship Park Open Access Source: California Protected Areas Database. 2021. Parks and Open Space. Analysis Conducted in Urban Footprint. https://www.calands.org/. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-18 Figure EJ-4: Communities Within Walking and Biking Distance of a Park or Open Space ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-19 Pollution The effects of both short- and long-term exposure to pollution can be significant to all individuals. However, certain populations bear increased risks from pollution exposure. Community members expressed their concerns about pollution exposure during the Environmental Justice Community Meeting and are particularly concerned about pollution exposure near major roadways. This Section analyzes pollution exposure throughout the City and identifies particularly vulnerable areas and populations. Specifically, young children, older adults, people who are outside for large portions of their day, and individuals with preexisting health conditions are more susceptible to respiratory complications resulting from air pollution. In Arcadia there is a lower percentage of outdoor workers, active commuters, young children, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and people with asthma compared to Los Angeles County and the State of California. Arcadia does have a greater proportion of older adults aged 65 or older (see Table EJ-5, Populations Vulnerable to Pollution). Pollution affects the air quality of entire geographical regions. Therefore, pollution from surrounding cities can affect Arcadia, even when Arcadia itself does not contain all responsible sources. The South Coast Air Quality Management District is the regional agency tasked with developing and enforcing air pollution standards mandated by various clean air acts in California. Arcadia is located within this regulatory jurisdiction, along with Los Angeles County and portions of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. This means the City must comply with the agency’s regional air quality management plan along with all other cities and counties under the agency’s jurisdiction. The South Coast Air Basin, in which Arcadia is located, is one of two areas in the nation classified as an extreme nonattainment zone for ozone pollution. Poor air quality results from a variety of factors including the dense and heavily urbanized character of the area, the area’s reliance on cars and trucks for transportation, weather conditions, and the surrounding air- trapping mountains. The Resource Sustainability Element describes the various pollutants that impact natural resources in Arcadia, notably, air and water pollution sources that negatively impact Arcadia and its natural resources. These pollutants involve environmental justice concerns, as some communities in Arcadia may bear a disproportionate burden from these pollution sources. The limited industrial base and standard retail and service commercial uses in Arcadia lead to few local pollution sources that contribute to pollution of the region. Arcadia’s main sources of pollution, including carbon monoxide, ozone, and small particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), result primarily from transportation emissions due to the many roadways that carry heavy and slow- moving traffic. These pollution sources disproportionally affect communities that abut these transportation networks and can contribute to respiratory health effects like asthma, lung inflammations, and chest pains. Specifically, residential neighborhoods near Interstate 210 and other main arterial ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-20 roadways such as Baldwin Avenue, El Monte Avenue, and Duarte Road are exposed to a disproportionate amount of air pollution. Table EJ-6. Populations Vulnerable to Pollution Indicator Location Arcadia Los Angeles County California Asthma1 6.55% 8.65% 9.02% Coronary Heart Disease2 4.82% 4.94% N/A Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease3 3.95% 5.15% 5.33% Young Children4 5.05% 6.11% 6.3% Older Adults5 18.6% 13.3% 14% Outdoor Workers6 3.52% 6.01% 8% Active Commuters7 4.09% 9.65% 8.99% Source: The Public Health Alliance. 2022. The California Healthy Places Index [map viewer]. https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/. Legend: Quartile 1 = Good, Quartile 2 = Moderate, Quartile 3 = Poor, Quartile 4 = Challenged Note: The table is colored to provide an understanding of the rate of vulnerabilities to air pollution and does not indicate that certain traits are overall “good” or “bad.” 1 Percentage of people with asthma. 2 Percentage of people with coronary heart disease. 3 Percentage of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 4 Percentage of children under 5 years old. 5 Percent of people aged 65 and older. 6 Percent of workers (16 and older) who work outdoors. 7 Percent of workers (16 years and older) who commute to work by transit, walking, or biking. Safe and Sanitary Housing Access to safe and sanitary housing is a core environmental justice principle and vital to the health and well-being of the Arcadia’s population. At the Environmental Justice Community Meeting and in outreach conducted for the 6th Cycle Housing Element (see below), community members discussed how the location, quality, and affordability of housing units is important and how it has a significant impact on an individual’s health and quality of life. Although unsafe and unsanitary conditions can be a concern in any home, low-income residents, and renters in particular, are more likely to struggle with these ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-21 issues, which may include poor ventilation, high pollution exposure, and overcrowding. Although Arcadia has a lower percentage of households, both renter and owner, experiencing severe housing cost burden than Los Angeles County as a whole, and has higher rates of home ownership, the data nonetheless indicate a significant housing affordability problem. As shown in Table EJ-6 below, one quarter of renter households pay half or more of their income toward rent and utilities. Renters comprise approximately 40% of households in Arcadia, making this a significant issue. Table EJ-7. Housing Indicators Indicator Location Arcadia Los Angeles County California Homeownership1 59.50% 45.80% 54.90% Low-Income Homeowner Severe Cost Burden2 12.6% 13.70% 11.10% Low-Income Renter Severe Housing Cost Burden3 24.60% 28.90% 26.20% Uncrowded Housing4 96.4% 88.70% 91.70% Source: The Public Health Alliance. 2022. The California Healthy Places Index [map viewer]. https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/. Legend: Quartile 1 = Good, Quartile 2 = Moderate, Quartile 3 = Poor, Quartile 4 = Challenged 1 Percentage of people who own their home. 2 Percentage of low-income homeowners who spend more than 50% of their income on housing costs. 3 Percentage of low-income renters who spend more than 50% of their income on housing costs. 4 Percentage of households with one or fewer occupants per room. Individuals living in older residences are more likely to experience unsafe and unsanitary living conditions, as older, aging structures may not have been subject to present-day building standards and codes that comply with regulations for substances such as lead paint, asbestos, and other hazardous materials. Housing units are generally considered to need serious repairs or rehabilitation after 30 years; this work may include the installation of a new roof, plumbing, or foundation work. According to the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element, approximately 46% of Arcadia’s housing units were built prior to 1970, indicating a continued need for maintenance. However, the age of Arcadia’s housing stock may not necessarily equate to major repair needs due to Arcadia’s high household ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-22 income relative to the Los Angeles County median. Between 2018 and 2021, there were over 4,400 code enforcement cases for property maintenance. Most of these cases involved landscaping, and only four houses have been determined to be substandard. In general, homeowners invest in maintenance and repair and the vast majority of housing in Arcadia meets or exceeds standards.5 Furthermore, Arcadia’s percentage of households with less than or equal to one occupant per room is over 90%, ranking higher than Los Angeles and California percentages, as shown in Table EJ-6, Housing Indicators. Therefore, overcrowding is not of significant concern in Arcadia. Community Engagement Community engagement is the process of integrating community members into planning and local decision-making processes to ensure that their needs and priorities are considered and that they help shape policy decisions. However, it can be more difficult for certain people to participate in community events and decision-making processes due to inaccessible or inconvenient locations and times for events, language barriers, and insufficient information and notification leading up to events. To ensure that everyone has equal access to community events, decision-making processes, and spaces, special consideration must be given to populations facing barriers to participation, and accommodations must be made. Generally, opportunities to engage the community should be incorporated into the development of every plan and project. The scale and scope of engagement may vary based on the plan or project’s needs but will generally include multiple opportunities for residents and interested parties to provide feedback. Engagement strategies should also consider potentially interested parties and tailor opportunities to maximize participation. For example, outreach events should be hosted in languages other than English if the community they are serving has a large, limited- English-speaking population. Moreover, it is good practice to provide multiple engagement opportunities and virtual alternatives to include as many people as possible. The City generally takes a holistic approach when providing opportunities for the community to engage with its projects and plans. For example, the Comprehensive General Plan Update incorporated numerous engagement strategies that included interviews with interested parties and representatives from community organizations including Arcadia High School Student Council and Student Body, the Arcadia Woman’s Club, and the Rotary Club of Arcadia. A general plan website where visitors could access materials related to the plan’s development, such as interview and workshop summaries and background reports, was also maintained by the City throughout the process. Similarly, the City deployed numerous outreach efforts for the purposes of its 6th Cycle Housing Element. This included a series of community workshops, an online community survey, social media outreach, and targeted outreach for Arcadia’s low-income individuals, business owners, and the unhoused 5 City of Arcadia. 2022. “Chapter 5: Housing Element.” In Arcadia General Plan, 2–17. Adopted October 2022. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://cms9files.revize.com/arcadia/Ch.%205_Draft%20Housing%20Element.pdf. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-23 population. Materials were available in both English and Chinese, due to Arcadia’s large Chinese-speaking population. Goals and Policies These goals and policies provide the vision and steps to work toward for a more equitable Arcadia, focusing on active transportation (such as walking and biking), climate change impacts, parks and recreation facilities, transportation- related pollution, and healthy and affordable housing. Goals are overarching aspirations that define the desired outcomes of the Environmental Justice Element. Policies are specific measures or guidelines put in place to implement those goals. They serve as the strategic tools to translate these aspirations into tangible actions and practices. The General Plan already contains existing policies throughout various elements which further the goals of the Environmental Justice Element. Where these policies already exist, they have been noted, below. Goal EJ-1: A community where walking and biking is safe and enjoyable. Policy EJ-1.1: Work with community members to identify high-priority streets and intersections for improvements to sidewalks, bike lanes, and other bike and pedestrian infrastructure via the City’s capital improvement program. Policy EJ-1.2: Seek a State and Federal grant opportunities for active transportation corridors, including the California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program. Policy EJ-1.3: Create and maintain a network of Cool Streets with increased tree canopy, reflective pavements, and other interventions to mitigate extreme heat and reduce the heat island effect, prioritizing transit corridors and routes to school. Policy EJ-1.4: Seek to provide a variety of parks and facilities are provided which cater to a diverse population. Policy EJ-1.5: Mitigate noise and air pollution impacts to parks and public facilities adjacent to freeways, major roads, and rail corridors with protective fencing, landscaping, and/or walls. • The following existing policies from other elements further Goal 1 of the Environmental Justice Element:  Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Policy 1.1: Maintain a system of City parks and recreation facilities that ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-24 provide a variety of active and passive recreational opportunities throughout Arcadia.  Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Policy 1.2: Strive to provide a minimum of 2.43 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents.  Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Policy 1.3: Provide park and recreation facilities that are appropriate for the individual neighborhoods in which they are located, reflect the needs and interests of the population they serve, and meet the performance standards identified in the general plan.  Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Policy 1.7: Strive to locate new community facilities in neighborhoods and centers where they will serve populations with the greatest needs.  Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Policy 1.12: Maintain and enhance pedestrian, bicycle, and transit linkages to provide better access to parks, recreation, and public spaces and meet the needs of Arcadia residents.  Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Policy 3.1: Provide consistent funding for the street tree program reflective of the importance of the urban forest to community aesthetics and the environment.  Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Policy 4.3: Strengthen joint-use agreements with the Arcadia Unified School District and Los Angeles County to expand the types of local facilities that can be available to the community.  Circulation and Infrastructure Policy 4.1: Develop and maintain the citywide bicycle network of off-street bike paths, on-street bike lanes, and bike streets. The City will investigate the use of easements and flood control channel rights-of-way for the provision of bicycle infrastructure.  Circulation and Infrastructure Policy 4.5: Develop and implement a comprehensive pedestrian circulation plan that includes, among other components, (1) enhanced pedestrian crossings of streets; (2) sidewalk improvement plans; (3) pedestrian amenities on sidewalks on major streets that are key pedestrian routes, including benches, street trees, trash cans, and pedestrian-scaled lighting; (4) Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant crossings; (5) convenient crossing of arterials with landscaped medians, particularly in the vicinity of schools; and (6) strategies to remove barriers to pedestrian movement (for example, news racks, utility poles and boxes).  Circulation and Infrastructure Policy 4.9: Enhance pedestrian and bicycle access to local and regional transit, including connections to bus routes and the light-rail station.  Circulation and Infrastructure Policy 4.11: Encourage walking, biking, and use of transit through a variety of supportive land use ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-25 development and urban design measures, including site planning that promotes safety, pedestrian-friendly design, and access to transit facilities. Goal EJ-2: A community with reduced transportation-related air pollution Policy EJ-2.1: Continue to update truck route maps that minimize exposure to sensitive land uses. • The following existing policies from other elements further Goal 2 of the Environmental Justice Element:  Resource Sustainability Policy 1.4: Lower the emissions caused by motor vehicles through Transportation Demand Management strategies and land use patterns that reduce vehicle miles traveled.  Resource Sustainability Policy 1.2: Limit, when feasible, locating sensitive receptors near pollutant-emitting sources.  Resource Sustainability Policy 1.6: Require projects that generate potentially significant levels of air pollutants to incorporate the most effective air quality mitigation into project design, as appropriate. Goal EJ-3: A community where everyone has a high-quality, affordable home. Policy EJ-3.1: Promote home weatherization and in-home/portable air conditioning units to better insulate homes and mitigate the effects of extreme heat in residences. Policy EJ-3.2: Continue to explore temporary housing options for individuals experiencing homelessness in Arcadia, as well as grant funding opportunities for constructing and managing them. • The following existing policies from other elements further Goal 3 of the Environmental Justice Element:  Housing Policy 1.1: Monitor and enforce building and property maintenance codes in residential neighborhoods, including those with vacant housing units, to prevent the physical deterioration of existing sound housing within Arcadia.  Housing Policy 1.6: Encourage assisted-housing units of all types and expand affordable housing opportunities for households with extremely low, very low, low, and moderate income.  Housing Policy 3.3: Work with nonprofit and for-profit developers to maximize resources available for the construction of affordable housing. ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN – OCTOBER 2024_DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT | 10-26  Housing Policy 3.4: Address special-needs populations and extremely low-income households through a range of housing opportunities, including emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive housing. Goal EJ-4: A community where public health is enhanced and heat-related illnesses and fatalities are reduced. Policy EJ-4.1: Expand the number of cooling amenities in parks and other public spaces such as trees, water refill stations, and water features for children to play in. Policy EJ-4.2: Expand cooling center amenities as necessary and increase awareness of cooling centers through public education materials and events. Policy EJ-4.3: Educate residents about personal emergency preparedness and the emergency resources that the City provides to them. The following existing policies from other elements further Goal 4 of the Environmental Justice Element:  Safety Policy S-1.2: Support policies and programs to engage with residents, including non-English speaking communities, making them aware of the risks of extreme events and providing information on ways to preserve health.  Safety Policy S-9.4: Conduct ongoing public outreach and promote community awareness regarding emergency notifications, evacuation routes, and procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency. Focus outreach on identified vulnerable populations, for example by contacting and building partnerships with community-based organizations that represent the vulnerable population groups.  Safety Policy S-9.7: Create resilience centers throughout Arcadia to ensure frontline communities are equipped to respond, recover, and rebuild after a hazard event.  Safety Policy S-9.8: Support policies that promote education and resilience awareness about the effects of climate change- induced hazards and ways to adapt and build resiliency to climate change. Attachment No. 4 Attachment No. 4 Errata Sheet and Draft Implementation Plan Update Errata sheet – /ŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶWůĂŶ KƌŝŐŝŶĂůWĂŐĞ Number ĞĨŽƌĞ EĞǁWĂŐĞ Number ŌĞƌ 1 ŚĂƉƚĞƌƟƚůĞ͗ “Chapter 10” 1 ZĞŶƵŵďĞƌĞĚƚŚĞŚĂƉƚĞƌdŝƚůĞ͗͗ “Chapter 11” 10-15 to 10-23 ^ĞĐƟŽŶϱ –,ŽƵƐŝŶŐůĞŵĞŶƚ ĂĐƟŽŶƐ dŚĞ/ŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶWůĂŶŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚ ƚŚĞĂĐƟŽŶƐĨŽƌƚŚĞƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ,ŽƵƐŝŶŐůĞŵĞŶƚ͘ The ĨŽƌŵĞƌ,ŽƵƐŝŶŐůĞŵĞŶƚ ĂĐƟŽŶƐĂƌĞϱ-ϭ͘ƚŽϱ-ϭϱ͘ 10-ϭϱƚŽ 10-48 ^ĞĐƟŽŶϱ – EĞǁ,ŽƵƐŝŶŐůĞŵĞŶƚ ĂĐƟŽŶƐ ŶŽƵƚĚĂƚĞĚǀĞƌƐŝŽŶŽĨƚŚĞ /ŵƉůĞŵĞŶƚĂƟŽŶWůĂŶǁĂƐƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ ƚŽƚŚĞƉƵďůŝĐ͘dŚĞŽƵƚĚĂƚĞĚǀĞƌƐŝŽŶ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞĚĂĐƟŽŶƐƵŶĚĞƌ^ĞĐƟŽŶϱ ǁŚŝĐŚŚĂǀĞďĞĞŶǁŚŽůůLJƌĞƉůĂĐĞĚ͘ 10-15 ϱ-1. 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Updated ƚŽƌĞǀŝƐĞĚůĂŶŐƵĂŐĞďĞůŽǁ͗ “dŚĞŝƚLJǁŝůůƉƌĞƉĂƌĞ͕ƉƵďůŝƐŚ͕ĂŶĚ ƌĞŐƵůĂƌůLJƵƉĚĂƚĞĞŵĞƌŐĞŶĐLJ ĞǀĂĐƵĂƟŽŶƌŽƵƚĞƐĂŶĚƉůĂŶƐ͘ dŚĞŝƚLJ ǁŝůůƉĞƌŝŽĚŝĐĂůůLJƚĞƐƚ͕ƌĞǀŝĞǁ͕ ĂŶĚƵƉĚĂƚĞ͕ĂƐŶĞĐĞƐƐĂƌLJ͕ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐLJĨŽƌĞŵĞƌŐĞŶĐLJŵĂƐƐ ŶŽƟĮĐĂƟŽŶƐLJƐƚĞŵƐ͘” 10-ϰϳƚŽϭϬ-ϰϴ 8.24 ^ƵďƐĞĐƟŽŶŶƵŵďĞƌŝŶŐ͗ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϭ͘ 8-25ϰ͘Ϯ͘ 8-25ϰ͘ϯ͘ 8-Ϯϱ͘ϰ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϰ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϱ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϲ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϳ͘ 10-ϳϰ 8.24 ^ƵďƐĞĐƟŽŶre-ŶƵŵďĞƌĞĚĐŽƌƌĞĐƚůLJ ;ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚͿ͗ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϭ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘Ϯ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϯ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϰ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϱ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϲ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϳ͘ 8-Ϯϰ͘ϴ͘ 10-ϰϴ ϴ͘Ϯϱ ^ƵďƐĞĐƟŽŶŶƵŵďĞƌŝŶŐ͗ 8-26ϱ͘ϭ͘ 10-ϳϰ ϴ͘Ϯϱ ^ƵďƐĞĐƟŽŶŶƵŵďĞƌƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƚŽ͗ “8-Ϯϱ͘ϭ͘ 10-53 10-1. “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϭ͘ϯ͖:-ϭ͘ϴ͖ CI-ϰ͘ϭ͖/-ϰ͘Ϯ͖/-ϰ͘ϯ͖/-ϰ͘ϱ͖/-ϰ͘ϳ͖ CI-ϰ͘ϵ͖/-ϰ͘ϭϬ͖/-ϰ͘ϭϭ͖WZϭ͘ϭϮ” 10-ϳϵ 10-1. Text updated with the correct ƉŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͘ “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϭ͘ϭ͖:-ϭ͘Ϯ͖/- ϰ͘ϭ͖/-ϰ͘Ϯ͖/-ϰ͘ϯ͖/-ϰ͘ϱ͖/-ϰ͘ϳ͖/- ϰ͘ϵ͖/-ϰ͘ϭϬ͖/-ϰ͘ϭϭ͖WZ-ϭ͘ϭϮ” 10-53 10-2. “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-Ϯ͘ϭ͖^-ϵ͘ϭ͖^- ϵ͘ϰ” 10-ϳϵ 10-2. dĞdžƚƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƚŽƐĂLJ;changes ďĞƚǁĞĞŶƉƵďůŝƐŚĞĚĂŶĚƵƉĚĂƚĞĚ ĚŽĐƵŵĞŶƚǀĞƌƐŝŽŶƐƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚ͕ ďĞůŽǁ) “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϰ͘ϯ͖^-ϵ͘ϭ͖^- ϵ͘ϰ” 10-53 10-3. ZĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞŐĞŶĐŝĞƐ͕&ƵŶĚŝŶŐ ƐŽƵƌĐĞ͕dŝŵĞ&ƌĂŵĞ͕ĂŶĚZĞůĂƚĞĚ WŽůŝĐŝĞƐŽŵŝƩĞĚĨƌŽŵϭϬ-ϯ͘/Ŷ ĞƌƌŽƌ͘ 10-80 10-3. dĞdžƚŝƐĂĚĚĞĚĂƐĨŽůůŽǁƐ;ŶĞǁƚĞdžƚ ƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚͿ͗ “ZĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞŐĞŶĐLJ͗ ĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ– WůĂŶŶŝŶŐ^ĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ &ƵŶĚŝŶŐ^ŽƵƌĐĞ͗ GĞŶĞƌĂů&ƵŶĚ͖ dƌĂŶƐƉŽƌƚĂƟŽŶ&ƵŶĚƐ͖'ƌĂŶƚƐ dŝŵĞ&ƌĂŵĞ͗ Ongoing ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ ^-ϵ͘ϰ͖^-ϵ͘ϳ͖WZ-ϯ͘ϭ͖ WZ-ϭ͘ϯ͖:-Ϯ͘ϭ͖:-Ϯ͘Ϯ͖:-Ϯ͘ϯ͖:-Ϯ͘ϰ ^ƵƐƚĂŝŶĂďŝůŝƚLJ&ŽĐƵƐ͍ No” 10-ϱϰ 10-4. ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϯ͘ϳ͖WZ-ϭ͘ϵ͖ WZ-ϰ͘ϯ 10-80 10-4. dĞdžƚƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƚŽƐĂLJ;ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚͿ “Related WŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϭ͘ϰ͖WZ-ϭ͘ϵ͖WZ- ϰ͘ϯ” 10-ϱϰ 10-ϱ͘ ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗EJ-ϯ͘ϲ 10-80 10-ϱ͘ dĞdžƚƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƚŽƐĂLJ;ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚͿ “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϭ͘ϱ͖:-Ϯ͘ϭ͖Z^- ϭ͘Ϯ” 10-ϱϰ 10-6. ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϰ͘ϱ͕ϰ͘ϲ 10-80 10-6. dĞdžƚƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƚŽƐĂLJ(changes ƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚͿ “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-Ϯ͘ϭ͖Z^-ϭ͘ϰ͕Z^- ϭ͘ϲ” 10-ϱϰ 10-7. ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗EJ-ϱ͘ϱ 10-81 10-7. dĞdžƚƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƚŽƐĂLJ;ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚͿ “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϯ͘ϭ” 10-55 10-8. ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗EJ-ϱ͘ϲ͖,-ϰ͘ϭ͖,- ϰ͘ϰ 10-81 10-8. dĞdžƚƵƉĚĂƚĞĚƚŽƐĂLJ;ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ ƵŶĚĞƌůŝŶĞĚͿ “ZĞůĂƚĞĚWŽůŝĐŝĞƐ͗ EJ-ϯ͘Ϯ͖,-ϯ͘ϰ” Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-1 Chapter 110: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Arcadia General Plan 10 x This Implementation Plan guides elected City officials, Commissions and Committees, staff, and the public in developing programs and actions that will implement adopted General Plan goals and policies. Each implementation measure is a procedure, program, or technique that requires City action, either alone or in collaboration with non-City organizations or county, state, and federal agencies. Some of the implementation measures are processes or procedures that the City currently administers on a day-to- day basis, while others identify new programs or projects. Completion of the identified measures will be subject to funding availability. The programs should be updated concurrent with the annual budget process and whenever the City’s General Plan is amended or updated to provide continued consistency and usefulness. Each implementation program relates directly to one or more General Plan policies in the elements. The programs begin with Chapter 2: Land Use and Community Design Element. For each program, the related General Plan policies are listed, along with the responsible agencies or City departments, the recommended time frame, and likely funding source(s). The programs are grouped by element but can relate to policies in more than one element. Key to Time Frames: Short Term = 1-5 years Mid-Term = 5-10 years Long Term = 10+ years Ongoing = May require short-, mid-, and long-term actions 2. Land Use and Community Design Element 2-1. Public Involvement in Planning Decisions PThe City will provide a forum for public debate of local issues through the continued use of print media, the City's website and newsletter, local television, water billing inserts, and other forms of available media. EThe City will encourage informal meetings between resident groups and developers on large proposed development projects that may impact Arcadia's residential neighborhoods. Facilitate interaction 10-2 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT between developers and neighborhood interest groups, and provide developers with the opportunity to inform and obtain feedback from affected residents. Encourage developers to meet with affected groups, and encourage Arcadia residents to provide input on proposed developments. Responsible Agency: City Manager’s Office; Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Sustainability Focus? No 2-2. Comprehensive Update of Zoning Regulations UThe City will undertake a comprehensive update of the City’s Zoning Regulations (Article IX, Chapter 2 of the Municipal Code) to address inconsistencies between the regulations and the General Plan. The update should include but is not limited to the following: ƒ Establishment of new zones to implement the MU and DMU designations, ƒ Amendment of the R-3 zone to reflect the density allowed in the HDR designation (up to 30 units per acre) ƒ Establishment of a 1.0 FAR for Downtown, Santa Anita Avenue, and Live Oak. ƒ Review of the appropriateness of parking standards citywide. As a part of this effort, the City should explore the creation of a parking district downtown that would allow for sharing of parking and the reduction or elimination of on-site requirements. ƒ Modifications necessary to achieve policies in the Housing Element regarding transitional and supportive housing and permanent emergency shelters. ƒ Evaluation of the uses currently allowed in industrial areas; potentially, different industrial uses might be appropriate for different areas. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Departmental budget Time Frame: To be adopted in conjunction with the General Plan Related Policies: LU-1.6; LU-10.1; LU-12.1; H-3.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 2-3. Annual Review of General Plan, Land Use Policy Map, and Environmental Indicators AThe City will annually review implementation of the General Plan and Land Use Map to identify development, and evaluate accomplishments, priorities, and potential modifications. Due to Arcadia’s charter city status, the review is not mandatory (Government Code Section 65700) but will be helpful in working towards full implementation of the General Plan. Pursuant to the provisions of Government Code Section 65401, ensure that all departments within the City and all other local government agencies submit a list of proposed projects to the City, and that the Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-3 City review and report on the consistency of these projects to the City Council as part of the General Plan Annual Review and Update Report. Responsible Agency: All City departments Funding Source: Departmental budget Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: All policies Sustainability Focus? No 2-4. Review and Adjust Fees PThe City will periodically review and adjust the fees charged for City services, use of public facilities, development review, and impacts from new development when the assumptions and costs used to determine fees change over time. Responsible Agency: All Departments Funding Source: General Fund; Special Revenue Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Fees from Every Department Sustainability Focus? No 2-5. Downtown Planning Efforts The City will iImplement of Downtown planning efforts to provide a fine-grained guide to desired development and public improvements throughout Downtown. These efforts should include: ƒ Pedestrian connections from the Gold Line Station to the rest of the Downtown area, including the installation of shade trees, lighting, and signage ƒ Bicycle connections with the station and secure bicycle parking at the station area ƒ Bus and other public transportation connections between the station and major attractions in Arcadia, such as Santa Anita Park and the regional shopping mall ƒ Creation and design of public open space and a central outdoor community gathering space ƒ Evaluate the allowable uses and development standards to ensure desired uses, intensities, and design of the area immediately surrounding the station area in order to ensure that it becomes fully integrated with the rest of Downtown ƒ Shared parking arrangements and/or parking districts ƒ Coordinated signage and beautification efforts Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning, Engineering, Economic Development, and Redevelopment Agency Funding Source: General Fund and Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years); new development standards and parking requirements to implement the new mixed use designations were will be adopted in conjunction with adoption of the new General Plan (anticipated by the end of 2010). Related Policies: LU-1.8; LU-10.1; LU-10.2; LU-10.3; LU-10.4; LU-10.6; LU-10.7; LU-10.8; LU-10.9; LU-10.10; LU-10.11; LU-10.12; LU-10.13; LU-10.14; CI-3.4 Sustainability Focus? Yes 10-4 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 2-6. Signage Plan The City will rReplace and add new way-finding signs directing traffic from key locations such as the I-210 Freeway and Huntington Drive. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Mid-Term (5-10 years) Related Policies: Cl-2.2 Sustainability Focus? No 2-7. Design Review Process The City will cContinue the design review process to ensure that new development is consistent with the character and scale of the surrounding neighborhood. Continue to use comprehensive design guidelines to inform the process. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Departmental budget Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: LU-3.1; LU-3.2; LU-3.3; LU-3.4: LU-3.5; LU-3.6; LU-3.7; LU-4.1; LU-4.2; LU- 4.6; LU-4.7; LU-7.4 Sustainability Focus? Yes 2-8. Mixed Use Design Guidelines The City will eEstablish design guidelines for mixed-use buildings from which vibrant, attractive, and high- quality developments can be built. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services; Redevelopment Agency Funding Source: General Fund and Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: New development standards will be adopted in conjunction with adoption of the new General Plan (anticipated by the end of 2010). Related Policies: LU-6.5; LU-6.7; LU-10.1; LU-10.3; LU-10.4; LU-10.7; LU-10.11; LU-10.12; LU-12.1; LU-12.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 2-9. Development of Parking Districts The City will eExplore the feasibility and appropriateness of establishing parking districts for major commercial corridors, in particular for Downtown, Baldwin Avenue between Huntington Drive and West Camino Real Avenue, and for First Avenue between Huntington Drive and Duarte Road. Allow for shared parking arrangements. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services and Public Works Services Funding Source: Redevelopment Agency Funds; General Fund Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-5 Time Frame: Ongoing; parking study to commence first quarter of 2011. Related Policies: LU-6.3; LU-6.4; LU-8.8; LU-11.2; Cl-7.1; Cl-7.2 Sustainability Focus? Yes 2-10. Baldwin Avenue Corridor Strategy The City will cCapitalize on Baldwin Avenue’s unique role as a major shopping and dining destination by establishing a marketing and branding strategy for the corridor. Consider establishing a Business Improvement District to fund activities. This strategy would need to include Chamber of Commerce and/or businesses in the area. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services; Redevelopment Agency Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Short-Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: LU-6.6; LU-6.9; LU-14.1; LU-14.2; LU-14.3; LU-14.4; LU-14.5; LU-14.6 Sustainability Focus? No 2-11. Gateway Program The City will iImplement a gateway beautification (monuments, signage, and landscaping) program for City entryways, as identified in Figure LU-6 in the Land Use and Community Design Element. Consider developing special architectural standards that apply to private development on gateway properties. Responsible Agency: City Manager’s Office, Public Works Services, and Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund and Private Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: LU-2.5; LU-2.7; LU-6.10 Sustainability Focus? No 2-12. Monitor Development in Neighboring Jurisdictions The City will aActively review the land use planning efforts of neighboring jurisdictions. When appropriate, provide constructive comments on the decisions that will impact Arcadia; when appropriate, present issues to Planning Commission and City Council. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Departmental budget Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: LU-16.5 Sustainability Focus? No 2-13. Street Trees 10-6 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT The City will cContinue to implement and enforce the provisions of Article IX, Chapter 8 of the Municipal Code as it relates to street trees. Provide for the installation of street trees along public sidewalks where they do not currently exist. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services Funding Source: General Fund and Private Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: LU-2.1; LU-6.11; LU-10.4; LU-11.1; LU-12.4; PR-3.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 2-14. Citywide Public Art Master Plan The City will eExplore the creation of a Citywide Public Art Master Plan to provide for the installation of public art at significant locations throughout the City. The relationship between local history and public art should be emphasized in this plan. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Public and Private Funds; General Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: LU-2.3; LU-2.4; LU-10.14 Sustainability Focus? Yes 2-15. Site Planning The City will cContinue to use site planning review to ensure that site development and buildings in particular avoid environmentally sensitive areas, such as geologic hazards, unique landforms, and areas of high biological sensitivity. On hillside properties, development shall minimize grading and maintain building mass and scale that are sensitive to the topography. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: LU-3.5; LU-3.6; LU6.1; LU-6.12; LU-6.13; LU-9.1; CI-4.12; RS-8.1, RS-8.1; RS-8.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 2-16. Coordination with Arcadia Unified School District The City will continue to coordinate with the Arcadia Unified School District in the review of residential development applications. The City will request that AUSD indicate the level of facilities available to house new students that would be generated from development projects. Pursuant to State law and as implemented by AUSD, residential development shall be responsible for providing the necessary funding/resources to establish or expand facilities commensurate with impact. Coordinate with AUSD to establish a clear methodology for determining the impacts of development within the City upon school facilities, including the following: Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-7 ƒ Student generation ratios for residential development ƒ Provide any help needed by AUSD to calculate with school impact fees. ƒ Potential credits for contributions made from City parks and recreation funding mechanisms to establish joint use school/park facilities Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Building Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: LU-8.5; Cl-6.1; Cl-6.5 Sustainability Focus? No 3. Economic Development 3-1. Actively Attract Businesses The City will eEvaluate the potential benefits of actively working to attract businesses in the commercial zoned and mixed use areas. If, after analysis, active pursuit of businesses in these sectors is found to be a good course of action, develop a strategy for this pursuit. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Economic Development, Redevelopment Agency, and Arcadia Chambers of Commerce Funding Source: Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: ED-1.2; ED-1.3; ED-1.6; ED-1.7 Sustainability Focus? No 3-2. Downtown Business Improvement District The City will eExplore the establishment of a Downtown Business Improvement District to help ensure the area has a strong voice advocating for it and to help pay for the streetscape improvements, graffiti cleanup, and pedestrian safety measures that will help to attract more customers to the area. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department - Redevelopment Agency, Economic Development, Planning, and Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund, and Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: ED-1.5; ED-2.1; ED-2.2; ED-2.3; ED-2.4 3-3. Update of Economic Analyses The City will rRegularly update economic analyses to provide for informed decision-making and ongoing evaluation of the City’s financial health and future. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Economic Development Funding Source: Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: ED-1.9; ED-1.10 10-8 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Sustainability Focus? No 3-4. Special Events, Strategic Marketing, and Branding Programs The City will cContinue to conduct special events and develop strategic marketing and branding programs to promote the downtown retail and restaurant businesses and other small businesses through partnerships with stakeholders and others. Responsible Agency: City Manager’s Office and Development Services Department – Economic Development Funding Source: General Fund and Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: ED-1.10; ED-2.4; ED-5.4 Sustainability Focus? No 3-5. Coordination with Development Community The City will rRegularly reach out to area developers to promote available development opportunities in the City. This can include, for example, notification to real estate brokers of available properties and workshops to review City zoning regulations and development review processes. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Redevelopment Agency, and Economic and Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund and Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: ED-3.2 Sustainability Focus? No 3-6. Partnerships with Stakeholders Group The City will pPromote long-term partnerships with stakeholder groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and local business associations to facilitate business recruitment, retention, and expansion. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Economic Development Funding Source: Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: ED-3.1; ED-1.10; ED 5.4 Sustainability Focus? No 3.7. Redevelopment Agency’s Five-Year Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-9 The City will cContinue to implement and update the Redevelopment Agency’s Five-Year Implementation Plan in accordance with State regulations. Periodically review the Redevelopment Project Areas to identify opportunities and strategies to leverage the maximum benefits from redevelopment activities. Identify potential new project areas for future redevelopment activity. Develop clear, comprehensive action plans for the use of set-aside funds for affordable housing opportunities. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Redevelopment Agency Funding Source: Redevelopment Agency Funds Time Frame: Ongoing; every 5 years (with updates at mid-term or as required by law) Related Policies: ED-4.2; ED-4.6; ED-4.7 Sustainability Focus? No 4. Circulation and Infrastructure Element 4-1. Achieve Consistency in Roadway Rights- of-way The City will dDevelop a strategy and timeline for achieving full-width public rights-of-way consistent with the General Plan Master Plan of Roadways, with the standard sections as indicated. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services Funding Source: County, State and Federal Grants, Prop C, and Measure R Time Frame: Long Term (10+ years) Related Policies: Cl-1.1; Cl-1.2 Sustainability Focus? No 4-2. Complete Streets The City will, tThrough the Capital Improvement and Equipment Plan, develop timeframes and actions for achieving the “complete streets” concepts set forth in the Circulation and Infrastructure Element. This includes establishing bikeways consistent with the Bikeway Plan and implementing principal transit corridors. Pursue complete streets implementation as set forth in the Capital Improvement and Equipment Plan once standards and time frames are adopted. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services Funding Source: County, State and Federal Grants; Prop C; Measure R Time Frame: Long Term (10+ years) Related Policies: Cl-1.1; Cl-1.2; Cl-1.7; CI-3.1; CI-3.2; Cl-4.1; Cl-4.2 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-3. Reciprocal Vehicular and Pedestrian Access 10-10 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT The City will, aAs part of the development review process for commercial development projects, look for opportunities and legal mechanisms to provide for reciprocal vehicular and pedestrian access between adjacent properties, even if such properties are under separate ownership. The purpose of requiring reciprocal access, where physically feasible, is to mitigate disruption of on-street traffic flow, encourage pedestrian activity, and reduce vehicular emissions from traffic to commercial businesses. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Cl-4.8; Cl-4.5; CI-7.2 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-4. Pedestrian Accommodation Master Plan The City will dDevelop a pedestrian accommodation master plan that will promote and support an active lifestyle for community members, and will encourage walking for short destinations. The plan should include (but not be limited to): ƒ Identification of needed sidewalk repairs and areas where sidewalks are missing ƒ Preferred walking routes to schools and parks ƒ Landscaping improvements needed to increase shade ƒ Areas where obstructions to pedestrian traffic need to be removed ƒ Locations for paseos and similar connections between buildings in commercial areas ƒ Locations for enhanced crossings ƒ Coordinated signage Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund and Grants Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: Cl-4.5; Cl-4.6; Cl-4.7; Cl-4.12; Cl-4.13; Cl-6.2; RS-2.5 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-5. Conduct a Citywide Bicycle Study and Develop a Bicycle Plan The City will, uUsing the Bicycle Plan as a basis (Figure CI-7), develop a detailed bicycle transportation plan that establishes the planning, implementation, and design details of bicycle facility and amenity elements, including the identification of both capital and operating funding sources. The plan should be in a format suitable for obtaining public funding. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: Proposition C Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: Cl-4.1; Cl-4.2; Cl-4.3; Cl-4.4; Cl-4.9; Cl-4.11; CI-4.12; CI4.13; RS-2.5 Sustainability Focus? Yes Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-11 4-6. Conduct a System Planning and Design Feasibility Study for an Advanced Traffic Control System The City will dDevelop a plan that includes all traffic signals in the City (preferably including Caltrans signals), as well as vehicle detectors, camera surveillance, adaptive signal timing control software, and changeable message signs, as appropriate. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: Proposition C Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: Cl-2.4 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-7. Install an Advanced Traffic Signal Control System The City will iInstall an advanced traffic control system based on the system planning and design feasibility study. This might be local to the City of Arcadia or could be shared with adjacent jurisdictions. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: Proposition C Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: Cl-2.4 Sustainability Focus? No 4-8. Develop a Prototype Neighborhood Traffic Management Program The City The program should identify appropriate traffic-calming tools for different types of roadways, and establish a process and procedures for the study of traffic-calming needs and the development of appropriate traffic-calming programs in residential neighborhoods, as applicable. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Cl-2.1; Cl-5.1; Cl-5.2; CI-5.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-9. Regional Coordination 10-12 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT The City will work with Caltrans, the Southern California Association of Governments, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the Metropolitan Transit Agency of Los Angeles County, and the cities of Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Irwindale, El Monte, and Temple City to coordinate regional transportation facilities. Coordination efforts shall include: ƒ Participation in implementing policies contained in the West San Gabriel Valley Air Quality Consortium Plan ƒ Coordination with Caltrans, Los Angeles County, and adjacent cities to maintain and expand the system of park-and-ride lots along with an active rideshare matching program ƒ Coordinating the City’s circulation and bicycle plans with regional circulation planning efforts ƒ Developing a local transit circulator that serves key business districts in Arcadia and surrounding communities, with connections to the Gold Line Stations ƒ Monitoring and pursuing federal, state, and regional funds for local and regional traffic improvements Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund; Prop C; Prop A; and Measure R Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Cl-4.10; Cl-8.1; Cl-8.2; Cl-8.3; Cl-8.4; Cl-8.5 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-10. Implement Roadway Modifications The City will iImplement the following roadway modifications as identified in the Circulation Element: ƒ First Avenue, between California Street and Duarte Avenue: Restripe from four to two lanes ƒ Colorado Boulevard, between Santa Anita and Fifth Avenue: Restripe from two to four lanes ƒ Santa Clara Street between Santa Anita Avenue and Fifth Avenue: Restripe from two to four lanes ƒ Santa Anita Avenue between Santa Clara Street and Colorado Boulevard: Restripe from four to six lanes These changes are planned to the existing street system. They are not needed in the short term but will eventually be necessary by build-out of the General Plan. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services Funding Source: County, State and Federal Grants; Prop C Time Frame: Long Term (10+ years) Related Policies: Cl-1.1; Cl-1.2 Sustainability Focus? No 4-11. Management of Storm Water and Irrigation Runoff The City will pPursue the development of storm water runoff and irrigation capture basins on public property to collect gutter flows into retention facilities that allow the water to infiltrate into groundwater Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-13 basins. As necessary, develop a comprehensive improvement plan, with the scheduling of improvements identified in the Capital Facilities and Equipment Plan. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Development Services Department –Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund and Grants Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Cl-11.1; Cl-11.2; Cl-11.3; Cl-11.4; Cl-11.5; RS-4.2; RS-4.4; S-2.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-12. Water System Enhancements 4-12.1. The City will dDevelop water system facilities and capabilities that allow for the effective mixing and circulation of water stored in aboveground reservoirs. 4-12.2. The City will sStudy the need for seismic control valves on water transmission mains, and implement as the study indicates as necessary. Provide for transmission main redundancy. 4-12.3. The City will pProvide specialized water pipe crossings to span the Raymond Fault. 4-12.4. The City will iInstall and maintain radio read water meters throughout the City. 4-12.5. The City will pProvide water quality modeling and calibration to identify areas of reduced quality and stagnation. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services Funding Source: Water Fund and Grants Time Frame: Short Term (2-7.1 and 2-7.5); Ongoing (2-7.4); Long Term (2-7.2 and 2- 7.3) Related Policies: Cl-9.2; Cl-9.3; Cl-9.5; Cl-9.6; Cl-9.7 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-13. Coordination with Utility Agencies and City Facilities The City will cCoordinate with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (flood control), Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, contracted solid waste service providers, Southern California 10-14 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Edison, the Gas Company, and others to ensure that service can and will be provided consistent with General Plan goals and policies. Provide local utility providers with a copy of the General Plan annual review report for review and comment. 4-13.1. Organized Record-Keeping System for Utilities and Streets. The City will eEstablish an organized system of record-keeping for City files and plans. Provide central storage and digital library of all City documents, including deeds, facility plans, street plans, and utilities. Require digital file of all utility as-builts for utilities in the public right-of-way and private easements. 4-13.2. GIS Database for City Facilities The City will pProvide GIS database for City facilities, i.e. facility plans for fire, police station, community center, City Hall, etc., entered into a GIS database, with parcel information, streets, and other facilities. This would help with inventory control, staffing, and maintenance. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Development Services – Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund and Enterprise Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Cl-9.4; CI-10.1; Cl-13.2; Cl-13.3; LU-8.1; LU-1.5 Sustainability Focus? No 4-14. Infrastructure Master Plan Updates The City will cContinue updates in five-year increments for master plans for water, sewer, and streets. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Development Services Department – Engineering Funding Source: General Fund and Enterprise Funds Time Frame: Every 5 years Related Policies: CI-1.1; CI-1.5; Cl-9.4; Cl-10.1 Sustainability Focus? Yes 4-15. Inspection and Replacement of Sewer Lines The City will continue the on-going inspection and routine replacement of sewer lines on a priority basis to ensure that unrestricted flows are maintained during average and peak conditions. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services Funding Source: Enterprise Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Cl-10.1; Cl-10.2; Cl-10.3; Cl-10.4; Cl-10.5; Cl-10.6 Sustainability Focus? Yes Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-15 4-16. Storm Drain System Improvements As part of the Capital Improvements and Equipment Plan, the City will provide for the construction of storm drains as necessary to ensure that surface flow in a 10-year storm is contained within the “top of curb” along streets, and that the 50-year storm is contained within the street right-of-way. Efforts will also include installation or improvement of facilities to eliminate ponding at high-maintenance nuisance areas. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; L.A. County Public Works Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Long Term (10+ years) Related Policies: Cl-11.1; Cl-11.2; Cl-11.3; Cl-11.4; Cl-11.5 Sustainability Focus? Yes 5. Housing Element The goals and policies outlined in the Housing Element address Arcadia’s identified housing needs and are implemented through a series of housing programs offered primarily through the Development Services Department. Housing programs define the specific actions the City will undertake to achieve the stated goals and policies. The housing programs for addressing community housing needs cover the following five issues: ƒ Housing Conservation ƒ Housing Production ƒ Provision of Affordable Housing ƒ Mitigation of Governmental Constraints ƒ Promotion of Equal Housing Opportunity The housing programs presented below include existing programs in Arcadia as well as revised and new programs that have been added to address new State law and the City’s unmet housing needs. 5-1. Home Rehabilitation The City has established a housing grant program intended to support housing rehabilitation for low- income homeowners. This program offers low-income homeowners grants of up to $20,000 to make necessary improvements such as enhancing electrical, plumbing, roofing, and accessibility to low-income groups that may not have the means to fund these improvements themselves. Forty-eight homeowners received the grant from 2017-2020. The City recognizes housing is essential for healthy living, and that home rehabilitation assistance can help increase access to healthy homes and support the ability for residents to age in place in appropriate living situations. Grants will continue to be incorporated during the 6th Cycle. Additionally, in 2013, the City added condominiums to the list of properties eligible for this funding, greatly expanding the scope and reach of the program. Condominiums are afforded grants up to $15,000. Objectives: ƒ Continue to provide loans grants to qualified low- and moderate-income homeowners. 10-16 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT ƒ Encourage homeowners to include energy efficiency improvements as part of the rehabilitation projects. ƒ Utilize social media and City newsletters to disseminate information to homeowners regarding rehabilitation standards and the Home Improvement Program on a quarterly basis. ƒ Improve up to 14 housing units annually. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Economic Development Funding Source: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Time Frame: Engage in outreach on a quarterly basis that will begin after the Housing Element Adoption; Ongoing provision of assistance; annual allocation of funding Related Policies: H-1.1; H-1.2; H-1.3; H-1.4; H-1.5 Sustainability Focus? Yes 5-2. Code Enforcement Arcadia is known for beautiful neighborhoods and high property values. To help maintain this excellent reputation, the City has adopted a number of regulations aimed at property maintenance in a manner that is helpful to homeowners and property owners. The Code Services Division enforces these laws to address code compliance issues. Objectives: ƒ Continue code enforcement activities and connect households in need with City rehabilitation programs. ƒ Provide proactive code enforcement of vacant properties by conducting outreach to the surrounding community to provide information on how to report property maintenance concerns and working to contact property owners and resolve code violations. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Begin outreach within 3 months of Housing Element adoption; Conduct outreach on an ongoing quarterly basis Related Policies: H-1.1; H-1.2 Sustainability Focus? No 5-3. Residential Design Guidelines State Housing law includes various exemptions for projects with an affordable housing component that limit a City’s ability to apply discretionary design review requirements for certain residential projects. State Housing law requires objective design standards be available for housing projects where the City’s discretion over design review is otherwise preempted per State law. Funded by a recent State housing grant, the City has recently adopted objective development standards for multi-family development. These standards will replace design guidelines and the design review process for qualifying multi-family projects and all affordable housing projects. “Qualifying” projects means all those projects submitted for multi-family units that do not require some other discretionary action such as a Subdivision Map or a Variance. Through this process, the City will review existing entitlement processes for housing development and will eliminate discretionary review for all housing development proposals that include over 20 percent of its units allocated to affordable housing. The City’s recent Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2390) amends existing development standards to replace or remove all subjective standards for projects Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-17 with an affordable housing component or other qualifying project with objective standards that do not impede the type and density of housing it is intended to allow. These projects will be approved ministerially without a discretionary design review process. It is anticipated that the objective development standards will be taken to the City Council and in place in the first half of 2022. As stated above, the City of Arcadia will review existing entitlement processes for housing development and will eliminate discretionary review for all housing development proposals that include a minimum affordable housing component. The City will review current development standards to ensure reasonable accommodation of a variety of housing types and densities. The City will amend existing development standards, as appropriate, to address subjective standards as applicable to projects with a minimum affordable housing component. Objective: ƒ Disseminate information to property owners regarding the Residential Design Guidelines. ƒ Continue to apply design guidelines through plan-check and review process. ƒ Review and update objective design standards for compliance with State Law Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Standards have been approved as of August 2022 and the new standards will be implemented over the next six (6) months. Related Policies: H-4.1, H4.2, H-4.3, H-4.4 Sustainability Focus? Yes 5-4. Preservation of At-Risk Units The City will continue to monitor the publicly assisted and deed-restricted units as well as work with developers to maintain existing affordable housing stock in the City. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code 65863.10-.13, the City will notify owners of affordable properties of the State Preservation Notice Law that requires rental housing with expiring subsidies to be offered for sale first to qualified preservation purchasers at market value. ƒ Annually monitor the status of at-risk units annually by maintaining contact with the property owner and HUD Multifamily Housing division. ƒ Ensure that adequate noticing is provided to the tenants if the Section 8 contract is not renewed. ƒ Encourage County of Los Angeles Housing Authority to pursue special Section 8 vouchers from HUD, which are reserved for very low-income households displaced by the expiration of project-based Section 8 assistance. ƒ Work with the property owner to secure additional funding to replace the Section 8 funding if necessary. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Time Frame: Ongoing; annually monitor status of at-risk units; immediately notify property owners with expiring subsidies Related Policies: H-5.1, H-5.2 Sustainability Focus? Yes 10-18 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 5-5. Preservation of Middle-Income Housing through New Housing Providers The City Council adopted resolutions to join two newly formed Housing Providers, the California Community Housing Agency (CalCHA) and the California Statewide Communities Development Authority Community Improvement Authority (CSCDA-CIA) in June 2021. Both Providers focus on creating middle- income multifamily housing through the issuance of tax-exempt bonds to acquire existing apartment buildings. Following acquisition, the Providers receives a property tax exemption over the life of the bonds. The acquired units are then converted to rent restricted housing for middle-income households earning no greater than 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) with rent capped at no greater than 35% AMI. Prior to acquiring any properties in Arcadia, CalCHA and CSCDA-CIA would be required to submit their proposed acquisition to the City and receive City approval of the transaction. Objectives: ƒ Support the issuance of tax-exempt bonds to create or preserve middle-income rental housing Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Economic Development Division Funding Source: Housing Authority Bonds with City approval to forgo property taxes Time Frame: MOU with Middle-Income Housing Providers Entered, Annual Review Related Policies: H-1.3, H-1.6, H-1D Sustainability Focus? Yes 5-6. Residential Sites Inventory The City will monitor and evaluate the development of vacant and underdeveloped parcels on an annual basis and report the success of strategies to encourage residential development in its Annual Progress Reports required pursuant to Government Code 65400. The City of Arcadia will respond to market conditions and will revise or add additional sites where appropriate or add additional incentives, if identified strategies are not successful in generating development interest. The City will include the report in its annual General Plan Status Report including Housing Element Report to OPR and HCD by April 1st each year. Objectives: ƒ Update the inventory of vacant and underutilized sites annually to ensure adequate sites are available to accommodate the remaining RHNA. ƒ Provide sites inventory to interested developers. ƒ Monitor the development trends in the City annually, particularly on the sites identified in this Housing Element to ensure that the City has adequate remaining capacity for meeting the RHNA. Identify additional sites to replenish the sites inventory if necessary. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing monitoring; Update annually Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.2, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? Yes Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-19 5-7. Expansion of the Downtown Mixed-Use Area to Permit Residential Uses To create increased opportunities for the development of new housing within Arcadia, the City will expand the existing Downtown Mixed-Use zone, in the Downtown Area. The City of Arcadia will rezone to allow developments by right pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households on sites identified as part of the Downtown Mixed-Use Expansion Focus Area. The sites identified within the surrounding area of the existing zoning designation, totals approximately 39 acres. These sites are assumed to yield 1,209 units, 313of which are assumed to develop affordably, at a minimum density of 64 du/ac. While four of these sites are smaller than HCD’s requirement of 0.5 acres, these sites are a part of the Small Sites Strategy and through the Inclusionary Housing Program, Lot Consolidation Incentives Program, and other affordable housing incentives, these sites are projected to net units affordable to low and very low income households. Implementation of this program will also provide for development standards and entitlement procedures to encourage the development housing for persons of Very Low and Low incomes. In developing rezone strategy, the City will evaluate the potential to include a variety of incentive tools as appropriate, including but not limited to floor area bonus, density bonus, entitlement streamlining, fee waivers or reductions and other considerations. The City is committed to facilitating all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Rezone commercial properties identified in the Sites Inventory within Downtown Arcadia to accommodate high residential density development ƒ Inform developers of and encourage the development of housing on these sites ƒ Annually monitor the trend of redevelopment on these sites to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy for facilitating the reuse of underutilized sites. As necessary, revise the City’s strategy to encourage development on underutilized properties. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Within 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.2, H-2.3, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 10-20 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 5-8. Establish an Overlay in the Downtown Mixed-Use Area to Permit Residential Uses To create increased opportunities for the development of new housing within Arcadia, the City will implement an overlay on C-M parcels adjacent to the existing Downtown Mixed-Use zone, in the Downtown Area. The City of Arcadia will rezone to allow developments by right pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households on sites identified as part of the Downtown Mixed-Use Overlay Focus Area. The sites identified within the surrounding area of the existing zoning designation, totals approximately 8 acres. These sites are assumed to yield 152 units, 39 of which are assumed to develop affordably, at a minimum density of 64 du/ac. While 14 of these sites are smaller than HCD’s requirement of 0.5 acres,, these sites are a part of the Small Sites Strategy and through the Inclusionary Housing Program, Lot Consolidation Incentives Program, and other affordable housing incentives, these sites are projected to net units affordable to low and very low income households. Implementation of this program will also provide for development standards and entitlement procedures to encourage the development housing for persons of Very Low and Low incomes. In developing rezone strategy, the City will evaluate the potential to include a variety of incentive tools as appropriate, including but not limited to floor area bonus, density bonus, entitlement streamlining, fee waivers or reductions and other considerations. The City is committed to facilitating all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Implement an overlay to properties identified in the Sites Inventory within Downtown Arcadia to accommodate high residential density development ƒ Inform developers of and encourage the development of housing on these sites ƒ Annually monitor the trend of redevelopment on these sites to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy for facilitating the reuse of underutilized sites. As necessary, revise the City’s strategy to encourage development on underutilized properties. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Within 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.2, H-2.3, H-2.5, H-2.6 Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-21 Sustainability Focus? No 5-9: Increase Residential Density of the Mixed- Use Zone To create increased opportunities for the development of new housing within Arcadia, the City will increase the density of the existing Mixed-Use Zone. The City of Arcadia will increase the maximum density of the Mixed-Use Zone to 50 du/acre. The City of Arcadia will rezone to allow developments by right pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households on sites identified as part of the Mixed-Use Upzone Focus Area. The sites identified as part of this Focus Area totals approximately 27 acres. These sites are assumed to yield 496 units, 131 of which are assumed to develop affordably at a minimum density of 40 du/acre. While four of these sites are smaller than HCD’s requirement of 0.5 acres, these sites are a part of the Small Sites Strategy and through the Inclusionary Housing Program, Lot Consolidation Incentives Program, and other affordable housing incentives, these sites are projected to net units affordable to low and very low income households. This zone allows for 100 percent residential projects by right. Implementation of this program will also provide for development standards and entitlement procedures to encourage the development housing for persons of Very Low and Low incomes. In developing rezone strategy, the City will evaluate the potential to include a variety of incentive tools as appropriate, including but not limited to floor area bonus, density bonus, entitlement streamlining, fee waivers or reductions and other considerations. The City is committed to facilitating all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Increase density of the existing Mixed-Use zone identified in the Sites Inventory to accommodate higher density residential development. ƒ Inform developers of and encourage the development of housing on these sites ƒ Annually monitor the trend of redevelopment on these sites to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy for facilitating the reuse of underutilized sites. As necessary, revise the City’s strategy to encourage development on underutilized properties. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund 10-22 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Time Frame: Within 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.2, H-2.3, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-10. Expand and Update the Residential Flex Overlay in the Las Tunas Corridor To create increased opportunities for the development of new housing within Arcadia, the City will expand the existing Mixed Use Residential Flex Overlay to sites along the Las Tunas corridor west of Santa Anita Ave and increase the maximum density to 60 du/acre. The City of Arcadia will rezone to allow developments by right pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households on sites identified as part of the Las Tunas Residential Flex Overlay Focus Area. The sites identified as part of this Focus Area totals approximately 14 acres. These sites are assumed to yield 626 units, 164 of which are assumed to develop affordably at a minimum density of 48 du/acre. While two of these sites are smaller than HCD’s requirement of 0.5 acres, these sites are a part of the Small Sites Strategy and through the Inclusionary Housing Program, Lot Consolidation Incentives Program, and other affordable housing incentives, these sites are projected to net units affordable to low and very low income households. Implementation of this program will also provide for development standards, entitlement procedures to encourage the development of housing for persons of Very Low and Low incomes. In developing the Overlay, or similar rezone strategy, the City will evaluate the potential to include a variety of incentive tools as appropriate, including but not limited to floor area bonus, density bonus, entitlement streamlining, fee waivers or reductions and other considerations. The City is committed to facilitating all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Increase density of the Las Tunas Residential Flex Overlay on properties identified in the Sites Inventory to accommodate higher density residential, mixed-use development ƒ Inform developers of the Overlay and encourage the development of housing on these sites ƒ Annually monitor the trend of redevelopment on these sites to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy for facilitating the reuse of underutilized sites. As necessary, revise the City’s strategy to encourage development on underutilized properties. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-23 Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Within 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-11. Expand and Update the Residential Flex Overlay in the Live Oak Corridor To create increased opportunities for the development of new housing within Arcadia, the City will expand the existing Mixed Use Residential Flex Overlay to sites along the Las Tunas corridor west of Santa Anita Ave and increase the maximum density to 50 du/acre. The City of Arcadia will rezone to allow developments by right pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households on sites identified as part of the Live Oak Residential Flex Overlay Focus Area. The sites identified as part of this Focus Area totals approximately 6 acres. These sites are assumed to yield 225 units, 58 of which are assumed to develop affordably at a minimum density of 40 du/acre. While one of these sites is smaller than HCD’s requirement of 0.5 acres, , this siteis part of the Small Sites Strategy and through the Inclusionary Housing Program, Lot Consolidation Incentives Program, and other affordable housing incentives, these sites are projected to net units affordable to low and very low income households. With the implementation of this overlay, 100 percent residential projects would be allowed by right. Implementation of this program will also provide for development standards, entitlement procedures to encourage the development of housing for persons of Very Low and Low incomes. In developing the Overlay, or similar rezone strategy, the City will evaluate the potential to include a variety of incentive tools as appropriate, including but not limited to floor area bonus, density bonus, entitlement streamlining, fee waivers or reductions and other considerations. The City is committed to facilitating all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Implement a Live Oak Residential Flex Overlay to commercially zoned properties identified in the Sites Inventory to accommodate higher density residential development. 10-24 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT ƒ Inform developers of the Overlay and encourage the development of housing on these sites ƒ Annually monitor the trend of redevelopment on these sites to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy for facilitating the reuse of underutilized sites. As necessary, revise the City’s strategy to encourage development on underutilized properties. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Within 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-12. Establish an Overlay to Permit Residential Uses in the Commercial General Zone To create increased opportunities for the development of new housing within Arcadia, the City will establish an overlay to permit residential uses withing the Commercial General (C-G) Zone at a maximum density of 30 du/acre. The City of Arcadia will rezone to allow developments by right pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households on sites identified as part of the C-G Residential Flex Overlay Focus Area. Sites identified as part of this Focus Area totals approximately 74 acres. These sites are assumed to yield 870 units, 224 of which are assumed to develop affordably at a minimum density of 24 du/acre. Implementation of this program will also provide for development standards and entitlement procedures to encourage the development housing for persons of Low and Very Low incomes. In developing the Overlay, or similar rezone strategy, the City will evaluate the potential to include a variety of incentive tools as appropriate, including but not limited to floor area bonus, density bonus, entitlement streamlining, fee waivers or reductions and other considerations. The City is committed to facilitating all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Establish an overlay to allow residential development on Commercial-General zoned properties Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-25 ƒ Inform developers of the Overlay and encourage the development of housing on these sites ƒ Annually monitor the trend of redevelopment on these sites to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy for facilitating the reuse of underutilized sites. As necessary, revise the City’s strategy to encourage development on underutilized properties. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: With 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.2, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-13. Increase Density of the R-3 Zone To create increased opportunities for the development of new housing within Arcadia, the City will increase the density of the existing high density residential, R-3 Zone. The City of Arcadia will increase the maximum density of the R-3 Zone to 40 du/acre. The City of Arcadia will rezone to allow developments by right pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2(i) when 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower income households on sites identified as part of the R-3 Upzone Focus Area. The sites identified as part of this Focus Area totals approximately 177 acres. These sites are assumed to yield 635 units, 165 of which are assumed to develop affordably at a minimum density of 32 du/acre. Implementation of this program will also provide for development standards and entitlement procedures to encourage the development of housing for persons of Very Low and Low incomes. In developing this rezone strategy, the City will evaluate the potential to include a variety of incentive tools as appropriate, including but not limited to floor area bonus, density bonus, entitlement streamlining, fee waivers or reductions and other considerations. The City is committed to facilitating all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 16 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Increase density of the existing R-3 zone identified in the Sites Inventory to accommodate higher density residential development. ƒ Inform developers of and encourage the development of housing on these sites ƒ Annually monitor the trend of redevelopment on these sites to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy for facilitating the reuse of underutilized sites. As necessary, revise the City’s strategy to encourage development on underutilized properties. 10-26 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Within 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.2, H-2.3, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-14. Develop a Specific Plan for the Arcadia Golf Course The City owns the Arcadia Par 3 Golf Course and is evaluating the future sale of the property and/or the redevelopment of the site. The City will continue to work with developers to enter a Purchase and Sale Agreement and Development Agreement with a selected Development Team on the entitlement of the site. Per the requirements of the Surplus Land Act, and the City’s agreement with HCD, a portion of the project will be dedicated to affordable housing units. The City will work with a selected developer to create a Specific Plan that provides a plan for preserving Open Space, and market-rate and affordable units that the development will include. Based on expressed developer interest, the City projects that 186 units will be developed on the Arcadia Golf Course Site, 80 of which will be affordable to low and very low income households. The City will facilitate all necessary steps to ensure that affordable housing can and will be built on this site pursuant to the capacity of the sites inventory. The City will begin the process of initiating the Specific Plan in 2023 and anticipates the development of units on this site in 2025. At least 80 of the units developed on site will be affordable to low and very low income households. Objectives: ƒ Pursuant to Government Code section 65583.2, subdivisions (h) and (i), the City will commit to the following specific actions: 1. Permit owner-occupied and rental multifamily uses by-right for developments in which 20 percent or more of the units are affordable to lower-income households. By-right development will not require a CUP, planned unit development permit, or other discretionary review or approval. 2. Accommodate a minimum of 20 units per site; 3. Require a minimum density of 20 units per acre; and 4. At least 50 percent of the lower-income need must be accommodated on sites designated for residential use or on sites zoned for mixed uses that accommodate all of the very low and low-income housing need, if those sites: 1. Allow 100 percent residential use, and 2. Require residential use occupy 50 percent of the total floor area of a mixed-use project ƒ Enter a Purchase and Sale Agreement and Development Agreement ƒ Develop a specific plan that will allow for a minimum of 80 units affordable to low and very low income households. ƒ The City will monitor the progress of the Specific Plan and the buildout to ensure that at least 80 units affordable to low and very low income households are built. Should the City not achieve what was identified in the inventory, additional sites will be identified to meet the RHNA. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Initiate Specific Plan in 2023; anticipates the development of units on the site in 2025. Related Policies: H-2.2, H-2.3, H-2.5, H-2.6 Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-27 Sustainability Focus? No 5-15. Encourage Development of Housing Sites Listed in Inventory The City will continue to encourage and facilitate residential and/or mixed-use development on sites listed in Appendix A inventory by providing technical assistance to interested developers for site identification and entitlement processing. The City will continue to support developers funding applications from other agencies and programs. The City shall post the Sites Inventory, as shown in Appendix A on the City’s webpage and will equally encourage and market the sites for both for-sale development and rental development. The City shall identify the appropriate incentives, potentially including promotion to developers of the benefits of density bonuses and related incentives, identification of potential funding opportunities, offering expedited entitlement processing, and offering fee waivers and/or deferrals, to encourage the development of affordable housing within residential and mixed-use developments. The City will continuously implement this program as housing projects are submitted to the City. Objectives: ƒ Host a webpage for the Sites Inventory as shown in Appendix A ƒ Identify incentives to encourage developers to develop affordable housing ƒ Review and update the Sites Inventory as necessary and provide information to interested developers. ƒ Annually review development trends to evaluate the effectiveness of incentive programs and revise as necessary Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing, Within 12 months of adoption of the Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-16. Housing Density Bonus The City will continue to evaluate and update Section 9103.15 – Density Bonuses for Affordable and Senior Housing of its Municipal Code to be consistent with State law. A Density bonus is an effective incentive to aid in the development of affordable housing units within Arcadia through providing concessions to proposed developments that meet specific affordability criteria. These concessions may take the form of additional residential units permitted beyond the density allowed in the base zoning, and relaxed parking standards. The City’s current density bonus remains compliant by deferring to State Law by reference. Objectives: ƒ Continue to evaluate and update the density bonus section of the City’s Municipal Code to ensure consistency with State Law. ƒ Promote State density bonuses which are an effective incentive to aid in the development of affordable housing units through providing concessions to proposed developments that meet specific affordability criteria Responsible Agency: Development Services Department 10-28 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Update Municipal Code within 12 months of adoption of the Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-17. ADU and JADU Incentive and Monitoring Program The City of Arcadia believes Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are a demonstrated method to provide affordable housing in the City. Due to recent legislation, the ability to entitle and construct ADUs has increased significantly. Additionally, the passing of SB 9 allows property owners to split a single-family lot into two lots, and either add a second home to their lot or split the lot into two and place duplexes on each. This creates the opportunity for four housing units on a property that is currently limited to a single- family home. The City anticipates that the passing of SB 9 will encourage the creation of ADUs and second units on single-family lots. The City recognizes the significance of this legislation as evidenced by a marked increase in ADU permit applications. Due to this legislation, the City believes aggressive support for ADU construction will result in increased opportunities for affordable housing. The City will create a monitoring and incentive program to track ADU and JADU creation and affordability levels throughout the planning period. This will allow the City to monitor the development of accessory units at all income levels. Additionally, the City will review their ADU and JADU development progress every 2 years of the adoption of the 6th cycle Housing Element to evaluate if production estimates are being achieved. If ADUs are not being permitted as assumed in the Housing Element, the City will take the action within 6 months of completion of the ADU review to ensure that adequate capacity at each income level in maintained to meet the City’s RHNA needs. These actions may include additional incentives for ADU development or identification of adequate sites to meet the City’s identified unaccommodated need. In addition to measuring the development progress of ADUs every two years of the planning period, the City will monitor affordability trends of ADU production every two years during the planning period. Objectives: x Monitor the development of ADUs to identify strategies to incentivize ADU production x Working with existing ADU owners to maintain existing affordable ADU rentals x Establishing fee waivers for ADUs that will be made affordable to low and very low income households x Developing and public awareness campaign by developing public outreach materials on the City’s website and other print and digital media x Evaluate and assess the appropriateness of additional incentives to encourage ADU development Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Analyze methods within 12 months of Housing Element adoption; Establish programs (such as fee waivers) within 24 months of Housing Element adoption; outreach to ADU property owners regarding affordable ADU rentals on a semi-annual basis; Monitor the production and affordability of ADUs every two years of the planning period with; annual monitoring and review of ADU incentives if it is determined these Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-29 units are not meeting the lower-income housing need, the Town shall ensure other housing sites are available to accommodate the unmet portion of the lower-income RHNA. If additional sites must be rezoned, they will be consistent with Government Code Sections 65583(h) and 65583.2(i). Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-18. Candidate Sites Used in Prior Housing Element Planning Cycle Pursuant to Government Code Section 65583.2(c), any non-vacant sites identified in the prior 5th Cycle or vacant sites identified two or more consecutive planning periods, shall be provided by-right development when at least 20% of the units in the proposed development are affordable to lower-income households. Appendix B of the 2021-2029 Housing Element identifies vacant and non-vacant sites that the City used in previous Housing Elements to meet the current RHNA need. To comply with State law, the City will amend the Zoning Code to permit residential uses by-right for housing development in which at least 20- percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households for sites that: x Are non-vacant and identified in the prior planning period; and x Vacant sites included in two or more consecutive planning periods Objectives: ƒ Amend the Zoning Code to permit residential uses by-right for housing development where at least 20-percent of units are affordable and were identified in the prior planning period Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Within 36 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-19. Inclusionary Housing Policy The City has a substantial RHNA obligation of affordable housing that will be a challenge to accommodate due to prevailing project development costs include high land values. Therefore, the City must evaluate a variety of policy prescriptions that will encourage and facilitate the construction of below market-rate housing. The City will investigate inclusionary housing policy options as an additional means to provide a variety of housing types and opportunities for very low, low- and moderate-income households in Arcadia. The City will assess and analyze a variety of inclusionary housing policy options, standards, requirements and regulations to determine the best course of action. Based upon this initial assessment, the City will determine the appropriateness and application of inclusionary policies, and adopt policies, programs or regulations that will produce housing opportunities affordable to very low, low and moderate-income households. The City has determined that a base inclusionary requirement of 20 percent for new residential development to be affordable to very low-, low-, and moderate-income households is appropriate as an 10-30 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT interim measure prior to the adoption of a final inclusionary ordinance or policy. The final inclusionary policy shall contain additional detail and address development of rental and for-sale housing affordable to very low, low- and moderate-income households, as well as the applicability of this requirement and its alternatives. Objectives: ƒ Adopt interim inclusionary policy ƒ Explore and evaluate inclusionary options ƒ Adopt an inclusionary Ordinance if feasible Responsible Agency: Community Development Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Adopt interim inclusionary policy within 9 months of Housing Element adoption and finalize the Ordinance for adoption within 36 months of the Housing Element. Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-20. Lot Consolidation Incentives Given the built-out nature in Arcadia, the City will continue to promote the consolidation of small lots with adjacent lots to provide opportunities for housing. The City requires a Lot Line Adjustment, which can consolidate four or fewer lots without the need of a public hearing or any discretionary action. The existing lot consolidation process is already a ministerial processing procedure for projects that meet the objective design standards. Lot line adjustments are an administrative process. Applications are reasonable in price and have a short processing time (10 business days). This active program will be advertised to small lot properties identified in the Housing Element and related incentives will be considered to promote the development of housing. Objectives: ƒ Utilize the City’s website and relationship with developers to advertise the Lot Line Adjustment process and incentives associated ƒ Continue to offer the following incentives to facilitate consolidation of small properties into larger parcels: 1. Fee waivers 2. Priority in permit processing ƒ Work with developers to identify additional incentives that could include: ƒ Flexible Development Standards (setback requirements, reduced parking or increased height) ƒ Committing resources for development of affordable housing on small sites ƒ Priority in permit processing ƒ Update Fee Schedule to reflect Lot Consolidation Incentives Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Update fee schedule within 12 months of adoption of the Housing Element; Determine and implement additional incentives within 12 months of adoption of the Housing Element Related Policies: H-4.1, H-4.2, H-4.3, H-4.4 Sustainability Focus? No Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-31 5-21. Preservation of Rental Opportunities To protect lower and moderate-income rental housing, the City shall make a conscious effort to reduce the demolition of lower and moderate-income rental housing on sites that provide more than 15 units unless the units maintain the same income categories after demolition. If Moderate or Low and Very Low- income housing units are demolished, the City will work with developers to find replacement opportunities within the City. Objectives: ƒ Work with developers to ensure Moderate or Low and Very Low-income housing is replaced if demolished Responsible Agency: Community Development Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: H-3.1, H-3.6 Sustainability Focus? Yes 5-22. Replacement Unit Program The City of Arcadia will adopt a policy and require replacement housing units subject to the requirements of Government Code section 65915, subdivision (c)(3) on sites identified in the sites inventory when any new development (residential, mixed-use, or nonresidential) occurs on a site that is identified within the inventory meeting the following conditions: ƒ Currently has residential uses or had residential uses within the past five years that has been vacated or demolished, and ƒ Was subject to a recorded covenant, ordinance, or law that restricts rents to levels affordable to low and very low income households, or ƒ Subject to any form of rent or price control through a public entity’s valid exercise of its police power, or ƒ Occupied by low or very low income households. Objectives: ƒ Mitigate the loss of affordable housing units and require new housing developments to replace all affordable units lost due to new development Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Program will be implemented immediately and applied as applications on identified sites are received and processed. Local policy shall be adopted within 12 months of Housing Element adoption Related Policies: H-3.1, H-3.6 Sustainability Focus? Yes 5-23. Public Information about Affordable Housing 10-32 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT The City will maintain a brochure of incentives offered by the City for the development of affordable housing including fee waivers, expedited processing, density bonuses, and other incentives. A copy of this brochure shall be located at the Planning Counter, on the City’s website and shall also be provided to potential developers. The City will update the brochure on an as-needed basis to provide updated information regarding incentives including updated fees and a reference to the most up to date Site Analysis and Inventory. Objectives: ƒ Distribute materials with information for the development of affordable housing to developers ƒ Explore methods to further disseminate affordable housing incentive information to developers Responsible Agency: Community Development Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing; Review brochure annually; Update brochure on an as-needed basis, Outreach conducted annually Related Policies: H-3.1, H-3.2, H-3.3, H-3.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-24. Employee Housing, Emergency Shelters, Transitional, and Supportive Housing To comply with State law, the City of Arcadia will amend certain sections of its Municipal Code to address the following requirements: x Employee Housing Act – The City is compliant with the Employee Housing Act but does not have Employee Housing defined in its Municipal Code. The City will update the Code to ensure alignment with the State’s definition of employee housing. x Supportive Housing Streamlined Approvals (AB 2162) - To comply with AB 2162 (Chapter 753, Statues 2018), the City of Arcadia will amend its Municipal Code to permit supportive housing as a use permitted by right in all zones where multiple family and mixed-use development is permitted. x Emergency and Transitional Housing Act of 2019 (AB 139) – The City will update its Municipal Code to comply with the requirements of Government Code 65583 to address permit requirements, objective standards, analysis of annual and season needs, and parking and other applicable standards and provisions. Per Government Code 65583, emergency shelters will only be subject to the same development and management standards applicable to residential or commercial development within the same zone except for those standards prescribed by the statute. Per Government Code 65583, the Municipal Code will be updated to allow transitional and supportive housing in all zones allowing residential uses and will only be subject to those restrictions that apply to other residential dwellings of the same type in the same zone. x The City will evaluate the definition of supportive and transitional housing as well as emergency shelters and update the definition where necessary to comply with Government Code 65583. Objectives: Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-33 ƒ Align with State law that would provide emergency shelters, transitional and supportive housing by amending the City’s Municipal Codes to align with State objectives ƒ Update the City’s Municipal Code with the definition of employee housing consistent with State Law Responsible Agency: Community Development Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Adopt Code Amendments within 12 months of Housing Element adoption Related Policies: H-3.1, H-3.2, H-3.3, H-3.4 Sustainability Focus? No 5-25. Participation in the San Gabriel Valley Housing Trust In 2020, the City became a member of the San Gabriel Valley Housing Trust in an effort to support this regional group with the goal of providing and building affordable housing throughout the Valley. The City has participated in all steps of the formation of the Trust, its governing board, and its goal statements. The Trust has sought funds (which would be matched) to retain, build, or support affordable housing throughout the region, including Arcadia. Objectives: ƒ Work with the San Gabriel Valley Housing Trust to identify funding opportunities for affordable housing development or support Responsible Agency: Economic Development Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing, With 12 months of adoption of the Housing Element and annually thereafter. Related Policies: H-3.1, H-3.3, H-3.4, H-3.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-26. SB 35 Streamlining The City of Arcadia will establish written procedures to comply with California Government Code Section 65913.4 and publish those procedures for the public, as appropriate, to comply with the requirements of SB 35. These provisions apply only when the City of Arcadia does not meet the State mandated requirements for Housing Element progress and reporting on Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). Currently, the City of Arcadia is subject to SB 35 and is required to process and streamline residential development projects that provide at least 10% low-income affordable units (i.). All projects covered by SB 35 are still subject to the objective development standards of the City of Arcadia’s Municipal Code and Building Code. However, qualifying projects cannot be subject to Design Review or public hearings; and in many cases, the City cannot require parking. Per SB 35 requirements, the City cannot impose parking requirements on a SB 35 qualified streamlining project if it is located: x Within a half-mile of public transit; x Within an architecturally and historically significant historic district; x In an area where on-street parking permits are required but not offered to the occupants of the development; or 10-34 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT x Where there is a car-share vehicle located within one block of the proposed project. One parking space per unit may be required of all other SB 35 projects. The City’s status with regard to SB 35 can change over time with a record of good progress towards RHNA and timely reporting to the State. Objectives: ƒ Update the City’s Municipal Code or website with written procedures consistent with what is required by SB 35 Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Within 12 months of adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Related Policies: H-4.1, H-4.3 Sustainability Focus? No 5-27. Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program The Los Angeles County Housing Authority currently administers the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program for Arcadia residents on behalf of HUD. HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program assists extremely low and very low-income households by paying the difference between 30 percent of the household income and the cost of rent. Pursuant to HUD regulations, 70 percent of the new voucher users must be at the extremely low-income level. In 2020, 101 households received Section 8 vouchers within the City. Additionally, the County currently has 57 households on the waitlist with an Arcadia mailing address. Objectives: ƒ Continue to participate in the federally sponsored Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. ƒ Disseminate information to the public regarding the Section 8 Program and promote participation by rental property owners. ƒ Coordinate with the County of Los Angeles strive to provide Section 8 Vouchers to at least 90 families annually. Responsible Agency: Los Angeles County Housing Authority Funding Source: HUD Section 8 Time Frame: Ongoing, Implementation within 12 months of adoption of the Housing Element; The City will disseminate information about Section 8 and promote public participation on an annual basis. Related Policies: H-3.3 Sustainability Focus? No 5-28. Affordable Housing for Families and Persons with Special Needs The City will continue to encourage the provision of housing for persons with disabilities (including persons with developmental disabilities), seniors, extremely low-income households, agricultural Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-35 employees and farmworkers, and racetrack employees. These special needs groups have unique housing needs and the City will offer a combination of financial and regulatory tools to facilitate the development of housing suitable for these demographic groups: ƒ Encourage senior citizen independence through promotion of housing and services related to in-home care, meal programs, counseling, and maintain a senior center that affords seniors opportunities to live healthy, active, and productive lives in the City ƒ Market the State density bonus program to developers to encourage housing development that includes housing affordable to lower and moderate-income households and senior residents. Provide incentives in the density bonus program to encourage the inclusion of extremely low-income units in affordable housing projects. ƒ Adopt land use policies that support the development of housing at Extremely Low-Income levels such as Program 5-19: Inclusionary Housing Policy which would specifically aid the development of housing for extremely low income hosueholds. ƒ Provide an expedited review process for developers applying for Federal and State Tax Credits, which require a designation of a percentage of the units for extremely low income households. ƒ Encourage developers to include accessibility for individuals with disabilities in their project designs ƒ Explore the granting of regulatory incentives, such as expedited permit processing, and fee waivers and deferrals, to projects targeted for persons with developmental disabilities. ƒ Continue to provide exceptions to regulatory provisions for housing for persons with disabilities through the adopted reasonable accommodation procedures. ƒ Amend the Municipal Code to be in compliance with Health and Safety Code, 17021.5, 17021.6 and 17021.8. and define employee housing in a manner consistent with applicable Health and Safety Code sections ƒ Revise the Municipal Code to state that employee housing for six or fewer employees will be treated as a single-family structure and permitted in the same manner as other dwellings of the same type in the same zone. Additionally, the Municipal Code will be updated to state that employee housing consisting of no more than 12 units or 36 beds will be permitted in the same manner as other agricultural uses in the same zone. ƒ Amend the Municipal Code to explicitly define Farmworker Housing and establish it as permitted use in residential or nonresidential zones, consistency with State law Objectives: ƒ Explore potential for incentive programs for the development of senior housing and services ƒ Identify incentives to encourage developers to pursue housing projects for persons with developmental disabilities ƒ Provide developers with information on identified incentive programs online and at City Hall ƒ Maintain a list of qualified housing developers with a track record of providing affordable housing that is of high quality and well managed. Annually contact these developers to explore opportunities for affordable housing in Arcadia. ƒ Assist developers in the application of funding for affordable housing development that promotes quality development. Annually explore funding opportunities with potential developers. ƒ Pursue housing at Santa Anita Racetrack for groomsman, targeting extremely low and lower income. ƒ Annually monitor the success of incentive programs and revise them as necessary ƒ Update Municipal Code to be comply with Comply with Health and Safety Code 17021.5, 17021.6 and 17021.8 and address the needs of Agricultural Employees and Farmworkers ƒ The City will adopt land use policies to target supporting approximately 20 extremely-low income households annually, particularly along key transit corridors to allow for increased mobility and revitalization of key commercial corridors. 10-36 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: Grants, Other funding sources, CDBG Time Frame: Update Municipal Code within 12 months of Housing Element adoption; identify and implement incentives for senior housing and services within 12 months of Housing Element adoption; annually contact developers to explore affordable housing opportunities in the City; annually explore funding opportunities with potential developers; annually review and revise incentive programs for Special Needs populations. Related Policies: H-3.1; H-3.2; H-3.3; H-4.1; H-5.2; H-5.3; H-4.1, H-4.2 Sustainability Focus? Yes 5-29. Homeless Program Assistance The City has applied for and received grants to provide resources to those experiencing homelessness. Grants have funded case workers through Union Station, a Homeless Resources Hub to provide services to homeless individuals, and information to the public through newsletters and multiple workshops. The City will continue to investigate opportunities to provide funding to local organizations for providing shelter and services to the individuals experiencing homelessness. Objectives: ƒ Investigate opportunities to provide funding to local organizations to support individuals experiencing homelessness Responsible Agency: Community Development Funding Source: Grants, General Fund Time Frame: Disseminate information on a quarterly basis through City newsletters, host two workshops annually. Related Policies: H-3.3, H-3.4, H-3.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-30. Housing Sustainability The City of Arcadia will continue to offer a variety of programs to promote sustainable development. These programs include promoting green building codes, the Construction Recycling Ordinance, the Water Efficiency in Landscaping Ordinance, and the Sustainable Arcadia education program. The City will also encourage that any affordable housing developments that receive City assistance, to the extent feasible, to include installation of energy efficient appliances and devices that will contribute to reduced housing costs for future occupants of the units. The City will continue to implement program as housing projects are awarded funds from the City in the 6 th Cycle. Objective: ƒ Continue to enforce City building codes and ordinances to enhance energy efficiency is residential construction and maintenance. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Planning Services Funding Source: Departmental budget; CDBG Time Frame: Marketing and promotion of sustainability programs and codes is already occurring and will continue to be ongoing Arcadia General Plan – December 2024 DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-37 Related Policies: H-3.5 Sustainability Focus? Yes 5-31. Fair Housing Pursuant to AB 686, the City will affirmatively further fair housing by taking meaningful actions in addition to resisting discrimination, that overcomes patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected classes, as defined by State law. The Housing Element contains analysis of contributing factors to fair housing issues within Arcadia and determined the following factors were applicable: x Lack of Affordable Housing x Barriers to Housing for Persons with Disabilities x Fair Housing Enforcement and Outreach Table 10-1 below describes the explicit meaningful actions the City will take to address and implement Fair Housing policies to affirmatively further fair housing in Arcadia. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-38 Table 10-1: Fair Housing Actions Identified Fair housing Issue & Goals Local Contributing Factors Geographic Target City Actions Priority Metrics and Timeline Issue: Lack of Affordable Housing Goal Housing Mobility, New Opportunities in Higher Opportunity Areas Arcadia residents generally earn a high annual income, approximately 38 percent higher than the Los Angeles County median household income. Additionally, Community Profile states that the median home value in Arcadia is $1,097,600 which is high for surrounding jurisdictions and greater than the County overall. The cost burden of housing in Arcadia is higher when compared to the County and the state. 36 percent of the City’s households earn a lower income (at or below 80 percent of the area median family income). Additionally, 37 percent of the City’s households pay over 30 percent of their income for housing and are considered cost burdened. The City currently does not have a diverse stock of affordable housing and will implement programs to increase production of housing for all income levels. Citywide. The City of Arcadia is comprised of high resource or the highest resource areas; therefore, providing housing distributed throughout the City will allow people of low and very low income to move into the City and increase access to opportunities. Focused attention on areas with a higher percentage of lower income residents. Downtown and Mixed- Use Areas, adjacent to the Metro Gold Line and primary commercial and business corridors. x Reduce barrier to the development of affordable housing by revising objective design standards for qualifying multi-family projects in accordance with State Law. x Encourage the development of sites within the Sites Inventory by hosting a webpage with a list of available sites as a one-stop shop with information on incentives for developers to develop affordable housing. The City will also update the Municipal Code and promote the State Density Bonus to aid the development of affordable housing units and evaluate and update the City’s development standards to ensure the current conditions do not impede the development of affordable housing. High To address the barrier to the development of affordable housing, the City will conduct the following actions: x Adopt revised design standards within 12 months of 6th Cycle Housing Element. To encourage the development of sites the City will conduct the following actions: x Create webpage for Sites Inventory within 12 months of the 6th Cycle Housing Element and disseminate information on incentives on an ongoing basis via outlets such as the City’s quarterly newsletter. x Update the Municipal Code within 12 months of adopting the 6th Cycle Housing Element. Promote the State Density Bonus on an ongoing Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-39 Table 10-1: Fair Housing Actions Identified Fair housing Issue & Goals Local Contributing Factors Geographic Target City Actions Priority Metrics and Timeline x Seek funds to retain, build, and support affordable housing development in Arcadia. x Continue to participate in the federally sponsored Section 8 Housing Choice voucher programs to support low and very low- income households. basis via outlets such as the City’s quarterly newsletter. x Annually monitor development trends and re- evaluate development standards and fees with the City. If the City identifies any constraints to the development of affordable housing during the planning period, the City will revise the development standards to mitigate these constraints. To further support the development of affordable housing, the City will conduct the following actions: x Work with the San Gabriel Valley Housing Trust to identify opportunities for affordable housing development or support and inform developers on a quarterly basis of funding opportunities for affordable housing developments. 10-40 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Table 10-1: Fair Housing Actions Identified Fair housing Issue & Goals Local Contributing Factors Geographic Target City Actions Priority Metrics and Timeline To support low and very low- income households in securing housing, the City will conduct the following actions: x Continue to aid residents in Arcadia with navigating Section 8 resources through the Los Angeles County Housing Authority and support approximately 100 low-income households that are receiving Section 8 vouchers within the City. Disseminate information encouraging rental property owners to participate in the Section 8 Program on a quarterly basis. Evaluative Metric(s): x Increase affordable housing opportunities overall in the City by 15 to 20 percent through the planning period for new construction for low income household. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-41 Table 10-1: Fair Housing Actions Identified Fair housing Issue & Goals Local Contributing Factors Geographic Target City Actions Priority Metrics and Timeline x Seek to increase access to information regarding affordable housing within the City by 50 percent throughout the planning period. This includes targeted outreach to developers informing them of incentives to maximize the amount of affordable households built. Issue: Barriers to Housing for Persons with Disabilities Goal Housing Mobility, New Opportunities in Higher Opportunity Areas Affordability, design, and location limit the supply of housing for persons with disabilities. Amendments to the Fair Housing Act, as well as state law, require ground-floor units of new multi-family construction with more than four units to be accessible to persons with disabilities. However, units built prior to 1989 are not required to be accessible to persons with disabilities. The City of Arcadia has a higher population with disabilities than the surrounding region. Additionally, a majority of the residences were built between 1940 and 1989 suggesting that the housing stock was not required to be accessible to persons with disabilities. The City could provide additional enforcement and outreach on Citywide. Focus attention on areas with a higher percentage of seniors. Focus attention on areas with a higher percentage of individuals with disabilities such as where the Golf Course Site is located. x Adopt code amendments to allow supportive housing and low barrier navigation center by right if the project meets requirements established by State Law. The City will also identify incentive programs for the development of senior housing services and amend the Municipal Code to permit Residential Care Facilities serving seven or more persons to allow zoning permits to be approved objectively. x Remove the City’s reasonable accommodation Medium To support individuals with disabilities who may need access to supportive housing, low barrier navigation centers, or senior housing and services, the City will conduct the following actions: x Adopt code amendments within 24 months of Housing Element adoption. x Annually review and revise incentive programs for senior housing and services. x Adopt reasonable accommodation code amendments within 12 10-42 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Table 10-1: Fair Housing Actions Identified Fair housing Issue & Goals Local Contributing Factors Geographic Target City Actions Priority Metrics and Timeline fair housing for both landlords and residents with regards to people with disabilities. Additionally, the City has plans to update its reasonable accommodation procedures to address some issues associated with physical disabilities. fees and reduce instances of deferred maintenance in local housing stock, especially for persons with disabilities and lower income persons. months of Housing Element adoption. To reduce instances of deferred maintenance and increase accessibility for persons with disabilities, the City will conduct the following actions: x Disseminate information on the Home Rehabilitation program on an ongoing, quarterly basis as well as annually allocating funding to approximately 14 homes. x Update reasonable accommodation fees within 12 months of Housing Element adoption. Evaluative Metric(s): x Provide collateral and consultation and seek to address 100 percent of complaints on an annual basis. x Provide accessibility and fair housing information Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-43 Table 10-1: Fair Housing Actions Identified Fair housing Issue & Goals Local Contributing Factors Geographic Target City Actions Priority Metrics and Timeline throughout the City, and particularly in areas with higher concentrations of low income or senior community resource centers within 12 months of adoption x Convene an annual meeting with fair housing advocates to discuss fair housing rights. x Provide assistance to approximately 14 qualifying households through the Home Rehabilitation program to support home modifications necessary to support persons with disabilities. Issue: Fair Housing Enforcement and Outreach Goal: Mobility, Place Based Strategies for Previous fair housing inquiries in Arcadia have gone unresolved. Additionally, the City only conducts outreach through the Housing Rights Center. The City could provide additional general information and outreach on fair housing within Arcadia. The City is considered a high opportunity and resource area, additional enforcement and outreach on fair housing may improve opportunities Citywide. Focused areas with a higher percentage of lower income residents or where there are existing affordable developments such as Naomi Gardens. x Disseminate Fair Housing information and resources to Arcadia residents. x Continue to partner with the HRC to educate the community on Fair Housing. Medium To increase accessibility of information on Fair Housing to residents in the City, the City will conduct the following actions: x Within 12 months, disseminate information and resources on a quarterly basis through the City’s social media channels, public 10-44 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Table 10-1: Fair Housing Actions Identified Fair housing Issue & Goals Local Contributing Factors Geographic Target City Actions Priority Metrics and Timeline Community Revitalization for households in the region to move to Arcadia. The City will also focus attention in areas where transit-oriented development could occur as these housing options may be more popular for low and very low to moderate income residents that may not have access to a vehicle. Transit- oriented developments and mixed-use areas also tend to revitalize underutilized commercial areas and allow for greater opportunity. postings at City Hall, and the City’s quarterly newsletter. To provide greater support for residents experiencing fair housing issues and to educate residents about fair housing, the City will conduct the following actions: x Convene an annual direct residents to the HRC to provide Fair Housing Resources through newsletters and events such as the Senior Fair. Evaluative Metric(s): x Seek to increase contacts to residents for fair housing information within the City by 50 percent for residents throughout the planning period. x Convene an annual meeting with fair housing advocates to discuss fair housing rights. 10-45 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Additionally, the City will partner with capable organizations to review housing discrimination complaints, attempt to facilitate equitable resolution of complaints, and, where necessary, refer complainants to the appropriate state or federal agency for further investigation and action. Additional Objectives: ƒ Collaborate with appropriate capable organizations to review housing discrimination complaints, assist in the facilitation of equitable dispute resolution, and, where necessary, refer complainants to appropriate state or federal agencies for further investigation, action, and resolution. ƒ Participate in the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice and other fair housing planning efforts coordinated by the Los Angeles County Community Development Commission. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Los Angeles County Community Development Commission, Housing Rights Center Funding Source: CDBG Time Frame: Implement programs on an ongoing basis, beginning within 12-24 months of adoption Related Policies: H-5.1, H-5.2, H-5.3 Sustainability Focus? No 5-32. Fair Housing Assistance The City contracts with the Housing Rights Center (HRC) to actively inform residents, landlords of residential property, and others involved in the insurance, construction, sale or lease of residential property of the laws pertaining to fair housing. The HRC provides the following programs and services to its clients, free of charge: ƒ Landlord-Tenant Counseling ƒ Predatory Lending Information and Referrals ƒ Housing Discrimination Investigation ƒ Enforcement and Advocacy ƒ Outreach and Education The City distributes information regarding fair housing to community members upon request and refers those with complaints and concerns about fair housing to the HRC. The City also periodically provides information on fair housing, the HRC and its services through the City newsletter and at the annual Senior Fair. Objectives ƒ Continue to contract with a provider to provide fair housing services to residents. ƒ Disseminate information to the public through the City’s newsletter and community events on the array of fair housing programs and services provided by the City. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department; Los Angeles County Community Development Commission; Housing Rights Center Funding Source: CDBG Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: H-5.1; H-5.2; H-5.3 Sustainability Focus? No 10-46 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 5-33. Supportive Housing/Low Barrier Navigation Centers State law has been updated to require approval 'by right' of certain supportive housing and low barrier navigation centers that meet the requirements of State law. Low barrier navigation centers are generally defined as service-enriched shelters focused on the transition of persons into permanent housing. Low barrier navigation centers provide temporary living facilities for persons experiencing homelessness due to income, public benefits, health services, shelter, and housing. To comply with State law, The City of Arcadia will adopt policies, procedures, and regulations for processing this type of use to establish a non-discretionary local permit approval process that must be provided to accommodate supportive housing and lower barrier navigation centers per State law. In the interim, any submitted application for this use type will be processed in accordance with State law. The City will provide for annual monitoring of the effectiveness and appropriateness of existing adopted policies. Should any amendments be warranted to existing policies pursuant to State law, the City will modify its existing policies, as appropriate. Objectives: ƒ Adopt code amendments to establish supportive housing and low barrier navigation centers ‘by right’ if the project meets requirements established by State Law. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: CDBG Time Frame: Adopt Code Amendments within 24 months of Housing Element adoption Related Policies: H-5.1; H-5.2; H-5.3 Sustainability Focus? No 5-34. Mitigating Constraints to Housing Choice for Persons with Disabilities The City will amend the Municipal Code to remove modification requirements and allow for reasonable accommodations without any discretionary actions or modification applications. Objectives: ƒ Remove land use constraints to the development of housing for individuals with disabilities and provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to housing ƒ The City will update the Municipal Code to remove fees for reasonable accommodation ƒ The City will amend the Municipal Code to update the definition of family to comply with all federal and state fair housing laws. The definition will be changed so it does not distinguish between related and unrelated persons and will not impose limitations on the number of people that may constitute a family. ƒ The City will amend the Municipal Code to allow the ministerial processing to permit Residential Care Facilities serving seven or more persons in all zones allowing residential uses based on objective criteria to facilitate approval certainty without a conditional use permit. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-47 Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Adopt Code Amendments within 12 months of Housing Element adoption Related Policies: H-2.1, H-2.3, H-2.4, H-2.5, H-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 5-35. Mitigating Constraints for the Development of Affordable Housing Projects Specific to affordable housing, the City has identified constraints such as parking standards in Section 3 as a constraint to the development of affordable housing. To mitigate these constraints, the City will work with affordable housing developers to develop a pre-approved list of incentives to promote the development of affordable housing. Such incentives may include a waiver or reduction of certain development fees, or modifications of parking standards or other development standards that could constrain the development of affordable housing. Objectives: ƒ Monitor standards and development in the City to ensure that conditions conducive to the development of affordable housing are maintained. Should a constraint emerge during the 6th Cycle, the City will actively work to create amendments or incentives to lower the barrier to develop affordable housing. ƒ Evaluate existing adopted parking requirements and revise the requirements accordingly if they there is an actual constraint identified to the development of smaller unit types (e.g. studios, one-bedroom units, etc.) and multifamily housing. ƒ Identify and remove constraints to the development of affordable housing. The City will remove parking standards for affordable housing projects to reduce the barrier with regards to parking standards and any other constraints identified in the future. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Evaluate program features within 24 months; adopt procedures within 36 months of Housing Element adoption; annually monitor and evaluate development standards and fees within the City Related Policies: H-5.1; H-5.2 Sustainability Focus? No 5-36. Water and Sewer Service Providers Pursuant to SB 1087, Chapter 727, Statues of 2005, the City of Arcadia is required to deliver its adopted housing element and any amendments thereto to local water and sewer service providers. This legislation allows for coordination between the City and water and sewer providers when considering approval of new residential projects, to ensure that the providers have an opportunity to provide input on the Element. Additionally, review of the Housing Element ensures that priority for water and sewer services is granted to projects that include units affordable to lower-income households. The City will submit the adopted 6 th Cycle Housing Element to local water and sewer providers for their review and input. 10-48 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Objectives: ƒ Submit the 6th Cycle Housing Element to local water and sewer providers for their review and input ƒ Ensure that there is adequate water and sewer services planned to support housing growth Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: CDBG Time Frame: Transmit document immediately upon adoption of future amendment Related Policies: H-5.1; H-5.2 Sustainability Focus? No Table 10-1 summarizes the City of Arcadia’s quantified objectives with regards to the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing. These objectives are established based on the City’s resources available over the planning period. 5-37. Mobilehomes and Manufactured Homes The City will review the existing provisions and development standards of Mobilehomes and manufactured homes for consistency with State Law in accordance with Government Section 65852.3. Objectives: ƒ Review Municipal Code for consistency with State Law and adopt any necessary amendments. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department Funding Source: CDBG Time Frame: Adopt Code Amendments within 24 months of Housing Element adoption Related Policies: H-5.1; H-5.2; H-5.3 Sustainability Focus? No Table 10-2: Quantified Objectives Extremely Low Very Low Low Moderate Above Moderate Total New Construction 138 138 167 177 434 1,054 Rehabilitation 40 40 40 40 0 160 Preservation (Naomi Gardens) 0 100 0 0 0 100 6. Resource Sustainability 6-1. Development Projects and Energy Performance Guidelines To ensure that targeted energy performance standards or guidelines for new development are being achieved, the City will review projects against the following and/or guidelines: Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-49 ƒ Where feasible, locate reflective surfaces (i.e., parking lots) on the north and east sides of buildings to decrease potential heat gain and reflection to adjacent buildings; alternatively, where parking areas must be located to the south or west of buildings, provide landscaping to reduce potential heat gain. ƒ Where possible, orient glass toward the south, the side with the greatest amount of solar access (heat gain potential). ƒ Use appropriate building shapes and locations to promote maximum feasible solar access to individual units. ƒ Design individual buildings to maximize natural internal lighting through the use of court wells, interior patio areas, and building architecture. Site plan elements (e.g., buildings, landscaping) should protect access to sunshine for planned solar energy systems and/or for solar oriented rooftop surfaces that can support a solar collector or collectors capable of providing anticipated hot water needs of the building. ƒ Use canopies and overhangs to shade windows during summer months while allowing for reflection of direct sunlight during winter months. ƒ Install windows and vents in commercial and industrial buildings to provide the opportunity for thorough ventilation. ƒ Use reflective roof materials to reduce solar gains, unless a passive heat system is provided. ƒ Incorporate the use of deciduous trees in landscaping plans, especially near buildings and around large expanses of parking lots or other paved areas. ƒ Incorporate deciduous vines on walls, trellises, and canopies to shade south and west facing walls, to cool them in summer months. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Development Services Department – Planning and Building Services Funding Source: General Fund and Grants Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-1.7; RS-5.1; RS-5.2; RS-5.3; RS-5.4; RS-5.5; RS-5.6; RS-5.7; RS-5.8; RS- 5.9; RS-5.10; RS-5.11; RS-5.12; RS-5.13; RS-5.14; RS-5.15; RS-5.16; RS-5.17 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-2. Energy Conservation Demonstration Projects The City will encourage dDevelopers will be encouraged to cooperate with Southern California Edison, the Gas Company, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District to set up energy conservation demonstration projects, and to serve as a laboratory for testing new energy conservation techniques. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Building Services 10-50 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-5.15 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-3. Conservation Education and Promotion Working in concert with energy service providers and contract refuse collectors, the City will promote the benefits of water and energy conservation and waste reduction. Avenues for public education will include, but will not be limited to, the City website, City mailers, displays at City Hall and other civic and community buildings, partnership programs with Arcadia Unified School District. Support non-profit groups’ educational programs within the City. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services Funding Source: Enterprise Funds and Private Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-3.4; RS-5.6 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-4. Green Building Initiatives The City will establish an education, recognition, and incentive program that recognizes and rewards excellence in green building and energy conservation building practices, and that builds consumer awareness of green building benefits. Part of the program may include the following components: ƒ Promoting incorporation of green building standards that exceed State Title 24 building construction standards and Energy Star conservation standards into future public and private development and major renovation projects. ƒ Developing incentive programs to promote Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) Standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, and encourage projects to achieve LEED (or similar) certification. ƒ Providing training to City staff in green building and LEED (or similar) rating system requirements and processes, and their application in practice. Strive to have at least one City staff member obtain LEED (or similar) professional accreditation. ƒ Identify opportunities to incorporate LEED standards (or similar) into the City capital improvement projects. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Building Services; City Manager’s Office; Public Works Services Funding Source: General Fund, Grants Time Frame: Short Term (1 to 5 years) Related Policies: RS-5.4; RS-5.12; RS-5.16; RS-5.17 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-5. Participate in Regional Air Quality Improvement Efforts Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-51 The City will participate in regional air quality improvement efforts by identifying and encouraging projects that improve mobility and reduce vehicle miles traveled. In particular: ƒ Review development proposals for potential air quality impacts pursuant to the CEQA, Los Angeles County Air Pollution Control District, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District CEQA Air Quality Handbook. ƒ Work with the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Southern California Association of Governments to implement the Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP), and to meet federal and state air quality standards for all pollutants. To ensure that new measures can be practically enforced in the region, the City will participate in future amendments and updates of the AQMP. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services and Planning Services Funding Source: Departmental budget Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-1.1; RS-1.2; RS-1.3; RS-1.4; RS-1.5; RS-1.6; RS-2.5; RS-3.1; RS-3.2; RS- 3.3; RS-3.4 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-6. Solar Energy The City will: ƒ Educate residents about the importance and availability of solar energy as an alternative fuel source for space heating and cooling, water heating and generating electricity. ƒ Support California solar laws and the protections the laws provide to owners of solar energy systems. This includes the right of an owner of a solar energy system to sunlight. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Building Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-5.8; RS-5.10; RS-5.13; RS-5-14 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-7. Water Supply The City will: ƒ Establish water conservation programs in accordance with the City’s Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). ƒ Investigate and implement programs to reduce water usage at parks and other City facilities. Set goals for water use reduction at City facilities. ƒ Pursue the optimal use of recycled (reclaimed) and desalinated water for landscaping and industrial uses in accordance with the City’s Urban Water Management Plan, Recycled Water Plan Update, and other pertinent planning studies. 10-52 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT ƒ Pursue the optimal expansion of the use of local water resources to offset imported supplies, including the development of addition groundwater wells and expansion of recycled water facilities. ƒ Actively support and partner with other agencies regarding the development and implementation of conjunctive use programs and other viable water management programs to enhance water supply reliability. ƒ Engage the Arcadia Fire Department during the regular Urban Water Management Plan to ensure that City water supply and infrastructure can meet fire protection needs. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services Funding Source: Water Fund Time Frame: Long Term (10+ years) Related Policies: RS-4.1; RS-4.7; RS-4.14; S-6.11 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-8. Water Quality The City will: ƒ Meet or exceed all federal and state water quality regulations, and publish an Annual Water Quality Report to inform the public regarding water quality. ƒ Incorporate into the City’s CEQA process appropriate procedures for considering storm water quality impacts and providing for appropriate mitigation when preparing and reviewing CEQA documents. ƒ Continue to comply with all provisions of the National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permit. ƒ Establish standards that require new developments and substantial rehabilitation projects to incorporate storm water treatment practices that allow percolation to the underlying aquifer and minimize off-site surface runoff. Acceptable on-site retention methods include, but are not limited to, use of pervious paving materials in hardscape areas is to be maximized, along with the provision of swale designs in landscape or grassy areas that slow runoff and maximize infiltration. Where feasible, the discharge of roof drainage is to be directed into pervious areas to reduce increases in downstream runoff. ƒ Continue to recognize the impact of all aspects of land use planning on the region’s storm water and urban runoff on water quality, and support the attainment of regional storm water and urban runoff goals through appropriate land use planning and implementation of Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plans (SUSMP). ƒ Coordinate with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD), the West Basin Municipal Water District, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the County Sanitation District on issues of water supply and quality. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Development Services Department – Planning and Building Services Funding Source: General Fund, Private, Water Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-4.8; RS-4.9; RS-4.10 Sustainability Focus? Yes Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-53 6-9. Water Conservation 6-9.1. The City will involve the community in water conservation efforts with such initiatives as: ƒ Developing and implementing guidelines for water efficient landscaping ƒ Developing and implementing a tiered rate structure to promote water conservation ƒ Educating the community on methods to reduce urban runoff and improve water quality ƒ Providing water resources information at City facilities and events 6-9.2. To meet the City's overall water conservation mitigation standard, the City will review projects will be reviewed to assess their compliance with the following: ƒ Compliance with the provisions of the City’s Water Conservation Plan contained in the Arcadia Municipal Code ƒ Incorporation and maintenance of drought-tolerant and low water using plants in the landscape plans and maximization of preservation of natural vegetation ƒ Incorporation and maintenance of water conservation techniques into the design of the irrigation system through such techniques as mulching, installation of drip irrigation systems, landscape design to group plants of similar water demand, soil moisture sensors, and automatic irrigation systems ƒ Clustering of landscaped areas to maximize the efficiency of the irrigation system; design of irrigation systems to eliminate watering of impervious surfaces ƒ Use of reclaimed water, where feasible, for landscape irrigation ƒ Installation of water-conserving kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances, installation of thermostatically controlled mixing valves for baths and showers, and insulation of hot water lines, as per City-adopted UBC requirements Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Development Services Department –Planning; Local Water Districts Funding Source: Water Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-4.2; RS-4.5; RS-4.6; RS-4.12; RS-4.14 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-10. Waste Reduction and Recycling 6.10.1. Source Reduction The City will periodically undertake source reduction and recycling progress review to evaluate the effectiveness of source reduction and recycling programs in reducing the overall waste stream from residences, businesses, and institutions in the City. The review will include, at a minimum, the following: ƒ Amount of waste diverted 10-54 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT ƒ Status of all programs ƒ Summary of the success or failure of program implementation ƒ Recommendations for necessary modifications to existing programs and suggestions for new programs to be adopted 6-10.2. School District Coordination As identified in the City's Source Reduction and Recycling Element, the City will work with the school district to establish effective solid waste management practices. 6-10.3. Recycling and Diversion Programs The City will: ƒ Continue curbside recycling program for all single-family and multifamily residential units in the City. ƒ Continue to include green waste pick up services as part of the recycling program. ƒ Provide assistance to residents who wish to compost. ƒ Provide information regarding collection facilities for recyclable residential materials that are not picked up by the City. ƒ Continue to implement Municipal Code Article V, Chapter 1, Part 3 regarding recycling for the commercial, industrial, and institutional sectors. Ensure that all City-contracted solid waste haulers attain a 50 percent diversion of solid waste in accordance with State mandates under AB939 and other appropriate regulations. ƒ Implement a construction and demolition recycling program to achieve at least a 50 percent waste material diversion factor from all construction sites in the City. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Development Services Department – Building Services Funding Source: Solid Waste Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-6.1; RS-6.2; RS-6.3; RS-6.4; RS-6.5; RS-6.6 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-11. Cultural Resource Protection The City will require Ccultural resource assessments of proposed development sites will be required for any project that may impact a known or potential site of archaeological or paleontological site or a historical site that is 50 years old or older. The assessment will identify the significance of the resource based on the guidance provided in the California Register of Historic Resources and other applicable sources. Avoidance of impacts and preservation of significant resources in place shall be accomplished, where feasible. When it is not feasible, data recovery shall be required for all significant resources. The following shall be included as a condition of approval of all new development projects, including intensification of existing development: "If unknown cultural resources are discovered during project construction, all work in the area of the find shall cease, and a qualified archaeologist or paleontologist shall be retained by the project sponsor to assess the significance of the find, make recommendations on its disposition, and Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-55 prepare appropriate field documentation, including verification of the completion of required mitigation. If human remains are encountered during construction, all work shall cease and the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office shall be contacted pursuant to procedures set forth in Section 7050.5 of the Health and Safety Code. If the remains are identified as prehistoric, a Native American representative shall be consulted to participate in the recovery and disposition of the remains." Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services; Library and Museum Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing through CEQA process Related Policies: PR-9.7; PR-9.8 Sustainability Focus? Yes 6-12. Discovery of Archaeological Resources or Human Remains The City will require, dDuring any construction activities on properties with the potential to contain archaeological resources, a qualified archaeologist will be engaged to monitor the removal of the earth covering the study area and to identify cultural materials if they are uncovered. If cultural materials are found, construction activity in the vicinity of the discovery shall be redirected until the archaeologist has assessed the significance of the find and appropriate field documentation and mitigation has been completed. If the site is eligible for the California Register and if impacts cannot be avoided, a data recovery excavation program may be necessary. Avoidance of the site by capping may suffice as mitigation under some circumstances. Actual mitigation will be dependent on the magnitude of proposed impacts to intact, significant deposits. If human remains are discovered during these construction activities, the Los Angeles County Coroner will be contacted to identify the bone and establish its relative age. If this bone is prehistoric, a Native American representative will be consulted to participate in the disposition of the remains. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services, Library Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing through CEQA process Related Policies: PR-9.1 Sustainability Focus? No 6-13. Habitat Protection For all new developments, including roads and other public projects, that are proposed adjacent to sensitive habitats, the City will require that adequate buffers, set backs, and other protections are provided to avoid significant direct and indirect impacts to such areas. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Building Services Funding Source: Departmental budget Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: RS-8.1; RS-8.2; RS-8.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 10-56 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 6-14. Compliance with State Endangered Species Act and Federal Clean Water Act The City and project proponents will coordinate with the Federal, State, and regional agencies to comply with applicable requirements of the Federal and State Endangered Species Act and Federal Clean Water Act. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services; Public Works Services Funding Source: Departmental budget Time Frame: Yes Related Policies: CR-4.10 Sustainability Focus? Yes 7. Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Element 7-1. Implement Master Plans The City will Iimplement the provisions of the Arcadia Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Recreation and Community Services Strategic Plan, Parks Rehabilitation Master Plan, and Youth Master Plan, as they may be amended from time to time. Specifically: ƒ Establish a list of needed community facility improvements, acquisition, and construction, and prioritize annually based on changing needs. ƒ Establish a regular review of open space, parks, and recreation related documents such as the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Amend as needed to address evolving conditions. ƒ Continue the City and the Arcadia Unified School District’s commitment to youth by continuing to review the progress towards achieving the Youth Master Plan’s goals annually. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: PR-1.13; PR-1.17; PR-1.19; PR-4.7; PR-4.3; PR 4.7 Sustainability Focus? No 7-2. Financing and Acquisition of Parks and Open Space The City will iInvestigate a range of approaches to acquiring passive and recreational open space and for financing its development and maintenance, including: Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-57 ƒ Identify utility easements with recreational potential, and coordinate with utility providers for their use as a passive or recreational open space resources. Particularly, look at flood control corridors as places for bike paths consistent with the Circulation and Infrastructure Element. ƒ Continue to implement the Parks and Recreation Fund program and the Park Facilities Impact Fee program to assist in the funding of developing and maintaining City facilities. Periodically assess the appropriateness of the fee level. ƒ Actively seek alternative funding sources such as State bonds and grants to supplement gaps in financing park development and maintenance. ƒ Prioritize funding of parks and recreation resources by regularly evaluating demand for these resources and identifying future trends in park and recreation facility needs based on demographic changes. Plan for facilities that are adaptable to changing needs. ƒ Develop guidelines for non-residential development projects to incorporate accessible public places into project design. Inventory all City-owned real property suitable for recreational use and retain for such use where feasible. ƒ Consider providing grants for the development of small, infill public places on public lands for uses such as community gardens, gathering areas, or other projects. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services; Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund, Park Impact Fees, and Grants Time Frame: Long Term (10+ years) Related Policies: PR-1.3; PR-1.4; PR-1.6; PR-1.8; PR-1.10; PR- 1.14: PR-1.19 Sustainability Focus? Yes 7-3. Joint Use Facilities The City will continue the partnership with the Arcadia Unified School District in joint land use/facilities planning efforts for joint-use park/school facilities. Formalize agreements regarding use, maintenance, and charging users. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services; Arcadia Unified School District; City Manager’s Office Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: PR-1.9; PR-4.3 Sustainability Focus? No 7-4. Design for Emerging Uses of Parks and Public Spaces The City recognizes that as community demographics and lifestyles evolve, residents may desire new and alternative uses of existing parks and public spaces. The City will continually monitor demands and will develop guidelines for incorporating design features into parks and public places that anticipate emerging new uses of these places. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services; Public Works Services Funding Source: General Fund and Grants 10-58 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Time Frame: Long Term (10-15 years) Related Policies: PR-1.5; PR-1.15; PR-1.20 Sustainability Focus? Yes 7-5. Recreation Facility Development in Underserved Areas Based on the information provided in Figure PR-2 (Park Facilities Service Area), the City will identify and prioritize development of new recreation facilities in underserved areas. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Long Term (10+ years) Related Policies: PR-1.1; PR-1.3; PR-1.6; PR-1.7; PR-1.20 Sustainability Focus? Yes 7-6. Recreation Programs 7-6.1. The City will adjust recreation program capacities and staff over time, including volunteer staffs, to match changes in population and program needs. Periodic assessments will be made through user surveys and other appropriate methods. Periodic updates of the Recreation and Community Services Strategic Plan will be undertaken for the management, prioritizing, budgeting, and procurement of necessary resources. 7-6.2. The City will develop and implement a comprehensive outreach plan—in languages that reach all targeted populations—to help identify and inform targeted groups about recreational services and programs in Arcadia. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: PR-5.1; PR-5.2; PR-5.3; PR-5.4; PR-5.5; PR-5.6; PR-5.7; PR-5.8; PR-5.9 Sustainability Focus? No 7-7. Coordination with Local Sports Groups The City will work with youth and adult sports organizations to coordinate the allocation and maintenance of sports fields. Coordination could include establishment of a committee to schedule events and resolve conflicts, posting of a master calendar on the City’s web site, and annual review of facility usage charges. Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; Recreation and Community Services; Arcadia Unified School District Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-59 Related Policies: PR-1.9 Sustainability Focus? No 7-8. Preservation of the Urban Forest The City will maintain and enhance tree coverage and tree health citywide by: ƒ Continued enforcement of Article IX, Chapters 7 and 8 of the Municipal Code ƒ Continued preservation of landmark trees ƒ Continuation of the Public Works Services Department’s Four-Year Tree Trimming Plan ƒ Continued participation in the Tree City USA program ƒ Public education efforts regarding existing City regulations regarding trees and the importance of trees to the overall community aesthetic and property values Responsible Agency: Public Works Services; City Manager’s Office Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: CR-3.1; CR-3.2; CR-3.3; CR-3.4; CR-3.5; CR-3.6 Sustainability Focus? Yes 7-9. Partnerships with Secular and Faith-based Organizations Partnerships with local secular and faith-based organizations will continue to be developed and maintained to design and implement community programs, events and activities, and promote new ones in order to continually meet the changing needs and demands of Arcadians. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: PR-1.8; PR-4.4 Sustainability Focus? No 7-10. Community Education Programs 7-10.1. The City will continue to collaborate with the Arcadia Unified School District to develop and implement education programs targeted to meet specific community needs. 7-10.2. As funding permits and interest indicates the need, the City will maintain after-school “drop-in” programs that provide homework assistance on school campuses and at community centers. 7-10.3. 10-60 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT As funding permits and interest indicates the need, the City will offer adult education programs. Assessments of adult education needs will be identified through surveys and other effective methods to help develop corresponding classes. 7-10.4. The City will work with private and public community service organizations to coordinate additional educational opportunities, including classes to learn English and after-school programs. 7-10.5. Establish a public education program whereby City employees can regularly interact with the community and maintain dialogue between residents and employees about how the City operates and the challenges and goals of daily administration. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: PR-6.1; PR-6.2; PR-6.3; PR-6.4; PR-6.5; PR-6.6 Sustainability Focus? No 7-11. Maintaining High-quality Library Facilities and Services 7-11.1. The City will conduct regular reviews of library patron program needs and adjust funding priorities and programs accordingly. 7-11.2. The partnership between the Arcadia Public Library and the Friends of the Arcadia Public Library will be used to continue to improve the quality of library services and facilities. Responsible Agency: Library and Museum Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: PR-6.6; PR-7.1; PR-7.2; PR-7.3; PR-7.4; PR-7.5 Sustainability Focus? No 7-12. Sponsorship and Support of Cultural Events 7-12.1. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-61 As funds allow, the City will continue to sponsor and support art events, live music performances, performing arts, dancing, outdoor public movies, artist exhibits, and other similar activities and events that bring the community together. 7-12.2. The City will continue to seek involvement and partnerships of local arts organization and local businesses to increase privately sponsored public events. 7-12.3. The City will continue to engage City boards, committees, and commissions and the community as a whole to identify needed and desired cultural events and art activities. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Mid-Term (5-10 years) Related Policies: PR-8.1; PR-8.2; PR-8.3 Sustainability Focus? No 7-13. Provision of Places for Cultural Events Through partnerships among City departments, the Arcadia Public Library, and the Arcadia Unified School District, and local private organizations that have community-type facilities, the City will identify community places for cultural activities that are well located, adaptable, and easily accessible to all community members. Responsible Agency: Library and Museum Services; City Manager’s Office Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: PR-8.1; PR-8.2; PR-8.3 Sustainability Focus? No 7-14. Inventory of Local Historic Resources The City will develop and maintain an up-to-date inventory of historically, culturally, and/or architecturally significant structures or sites in Arcadia to promote the awareness of these community resources. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund and Grants Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: PR-9.1; PR-9.2; PR-9.4; PR-9.5: PR-9.6; PR-9.7 Sustainability Focus? No 7-15. Support Private Efforts to Promote Appreciation of Arcadia’s History 10-62 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT The City will support the efforts of private organizations to promote and preserve Arcadia’s history. This support may include contribution of public funds to facilities and programs. Responsible Agency: City Manager’s Office and Library and Museum Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: PR-9.3 Sustainability Focus? No 8. Safety Element 8-1. Earthquake Preparedness The City will coordinate with the California Geological Survey, the State Office of Emergency Services, Los Angeles the County of Los Angeles, the Arcadia Unified School District, and local utilities and services groups in the promotion of earthquake preparedness programs. This will include, for example, sponsoring mock drills, providing information on the City’s web site and in mailers, and providing emergency supplies at designated shelter sites, such as schools. Responsible Agency: Fire Department, Police Department, and City Manager’s Office Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-96.1; S-96.2; S-4.1 Sustainability Focus? No 8-2. Seismic Hazards Mapping The City will obtain the latest Seismic Hazards Mapping Program and other geological hazard mapping data from the California Geological Survey to ensure that the most recent data are available to City staff and the public. The Safety Element will be updated as needed over time in response to the availability of updated information on faults and earthquake-related hazards in Arcadia. The City will consider and explore the possibility of creating the recommended Fault Hazard Management Zones (FHMZs) for each of the faults in question shown on Figure G-7 of the Seismic and Geological Technical Background Report for the City of Arcadia General Plan Update. The goal would be to refine the fault location and fault activity database for the faults in the City. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-41.4; S-96.2 Sustainability Focus? No 8-3. Geotechnical Investigations For any development project proposed in a geologically sensitive area or a known or suspected geologic hazard area, the City will require that a geotechnical investigation be performed by properly licensed Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-63 professionals. All recommended engineering design measures included in the resultant studies shall be incorporated into building design and construction. When possible, the City will require that liquefaction hazard areas and areas susceptible to the higher PHGApeak horizontal ground acceleration levels be avoided for essential/critical facilities. Potential surface fault rupture areas will require site-specific investigation and may warrant a special City- sponsored investigation projects to better define the activity and location of faults now suspected of having some surface rupture potential. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Building Services Funding Source: General Fund and Private Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-41.3 Sustainability Focus? Yes 8-4. Seismic Safety Considerations in Building Codes The City will continue to implement the most rigorous and up-to-date building codes that govern seismic safety standards for construction of new buildings, and will update the City’s codes as needed to respond to new information, standards, and technology. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Building Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-41.2; S-41.5; S-41.6 Sustainability Focus? No 8-5. Siting of Critical Facilities 8-5.1. In decisions regarding the siting and retrofit of schools, civic buildings, emergency response and preparedness facilities, hospitals and clinics, and similar critical facilities, the City will utilize information in the Safety Element and the Seismic and Geological Technical Background Report for the City of Arcadia General Plan Update. 8-5.2. The City will ensure all new essential public facilities are located outside Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones when feasible. 8-5.3. The City will continue to design and retrofit new critical facilities to minimize potential flood damage. This should include locating development outside of a hazard area when feasible, elevating the ground floor, elevating utilities, and using flood-proof materials in accordance with National Flood Insurance 10-64 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Program requirements.Such facilities include those that provide emergency response like hospitals, fire stations, police stations, utility lifelines, and ambulance services. Such facilities also include those that do not provide emergency response but attract large numbers of people, such as schools, theaters, and other public assembly facilities with capacities greater than 100 people. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Planning, and Building, and Engineering Services; and Fire Department and Police Departments Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-5.5; S-6.4; S-4.2 Sustainability Focus? No 8-6. Hazardous Materials Management 8-6.1. The City will require Nnew commercial, office, and industrial uses will be required to comply with the provisions of the Los Angeles County Hazardous Waste Management Plan and the most current amendments to the California Code of Regulations, Title 22. 8-6.2. The Certified Unified Program Agency Fire Department will continue to be responsible for inspections and enforcement of regulations regarding the storage of on-site hazardous materials. The City will continue to coordinate with the County of Los Angeles to regularly inspect businesses for compliance with the County Hazardous Waste Management Plan. 8-6.3. Through the development review process, the City will consider requiring a buffer zone between areas where significant quantities of hazardous materials are present and sensitive receptors, such as residences, hospitals and nursing/convalescent homes, hotels and lodging, schools, and day care centers. If new permits are sought by polluting land uses within 1,000 feet of a residence or other sensitive use, the City will consider requiring best management practices to mitigate the pollution for those sensitive uses. 8-6.4. The Certified Unified Program Agency City will make information regarding hazardous materials, as provided in Hazardous Materials Business Plans, readily available to City and County emergency responders. Responsible Agency: Fire and Police Departments Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-47.1; S-47.2; S-47.3; S-47.4 Sustainability Focus? Yes Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-65 8-7. Environmental Site Assessments The City will required preparation of Environmental Site Assessments for new development and redevelopment in areas previously used for commercial or industrial uses to identify and abate hazardous material releases from prior land uses that have the potential to affect future property owners or users and the public generally. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Planning and Building Services Funding Source: General Fund and Private Time Frame: Ongoing for new developments Related Policies: S-47.1 Sustainability Focus? Yes 8-8. Adequate Fire Flow Through the development review and building permit processes, the City will require that all new development provide the water systems needed to meet fire flow requirements as determined by the Arcadia Fire Department. Where deemed necessary, existing fire hydrants will be required to be tested to confirm adequate fire flows. Responsible Agency: Fire Department, Public Works Services, and Development Services Department – Planning and Building Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-63.2; S-63.4; S-63.5 Sustainability Focus? No 8-9. Adequate Emergency Vehicle Access 8-9.1. Through the development review process, the City will require that internal circulation systems be designed to accommodate fire suppression equipment with adequate turnaround areas as determined by the Arcadia Fire Department. The City will require new development to provide adequate access for emergency vehicles, particularly fire-fighting equipment, as well as secure evacuation routes for inhabitants in compliance with the latest building and fire codes. 8-9.2. The City will only approve new lot subdivisions that will provide adequate evacuation and emergency vehicle access to and from the lot subdivision on streets or street systems that are evaluated for their traffic access or flow limitations, including but not limited to weight or vertical clearance limitations and dead-end, one-way, or single lane conditions. Homes shall have visible street addressing and signage to support emergency services and evacuations. Responsible Agency: Fire Department and Development Services Department, Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund 10-66 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-36.1; S-6.5; S-36.6 Sustainability Focus? No 8-10. Mutual Aid Agreements The City will maintain standing mutual aid agreements with neighboring jurisdictions, Los Angeles the County, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL Fire), and U.S. Forest Service to furnish specified aid upon demand in the event of a major emergency, as appropriate. Responsible Agency: Fire and Police Departments Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-1.3, S-85.6 Sustainability Focus? No 8-11. Emergency Preparedness 8-11.1. The City will maintain and update on a regular basis emergency response preparedness programs, plans, and procedures such as its Emergency Operations Plan, Emergency Management Plan, and Natural Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. 8-11.2. Members of the City’s Emergency Management Team will receive regular training to provide them with the skills necessary to respond to any emergency. 8-11.3. The City will continue to sponsor the ACTION (Arcadians Caring Together Improves Our Neighborhoods) program to enable residents to respond appropriately to any emergency situation. The City will prepare, publish, and regularly update emergency evacuation routes and plans. 8-11.4. The City will prepare, publish, and regularly update emergency evacuation routes and plans. The City will periodically test, review, and update, as necessary, technology for emergency mass notification systems. Responsible Agency: Fire and Police Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-96.1; S-96.2; S-96.3; S-96.4; S-96.5; S-96.6 Sustainability Focus? No 8-12. Fire and Police Department Funding Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-67 Through the annual budgeting and long-range planning processes, the City will assess changing needs for fire and police department personnel, equipment, and facilities based on desired service levels, demands created by new development and uses, and other specific needs. Funding will be provided consistent with City Council objectives. Responsible Agency: Fire Department; Police Department; Development Services Department - Planning Funding Source: General Fund and Grants Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-85.1; S-85.2; S-85.3 Sustainability Focus? No 8-13. Pre-emptive Traffic Control Devices The City will evaluate installation of traffic signal preemption devices at major intersections to reduce emergency response travel time due to excessive traffic and congestion. Responsible Agency: Fire Department; Development Services Department - Engineering Funding Source: Capital Improvement (CIP) grant Time Frame: Short term (1-5 years) Related Policies: S-58.4 Sustainability Focus? No 8-14. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Residential Structures The City will promote the installation and maintenance of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in all residential structures. Responsible Agency: Fire Department; Office Development Services Department – Building and Safety Funding Source: General Fund and Grant Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-63.2; S-63.7 Sustainability Focus? No 8-15. Retrofit Fire Sprinkler Systems Existing Structures 8-15.1. The City will promote the retrofitting of fire sprinkler systems in existing buildings to protect life and property. 8-15.2. 10-68 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT The City will promote the retrofitting of existing structures in Fire Hazard Severity Zones to meet current safety regulations, such as the building and fire code, to help reduce the risk of structural and human loss due to wildfire. 8-15.3. The City will pursue a program to promote non-conforming development to meet the most up to date fire standards, particularly regarding road access, road design, structure design, and landscape design. This would include continued annual mailers sent to homes in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The program’s outreach efforts may expand in the future to include sending mailers to non-conforming residences citywide or updating a video on home hardening for dissemination on television, the City website, or social media. 8-15.4. The City will pursue applicable grants for efforts to weatherize public facilities, prioritizing critical facilities and any facilities that are at elevated risk of hazards. 8-15.5. The City will encourage building designs and retrofits that moderate indoor temperatures during extreme heat events. Efforts may include engaging residents or developers on the topic, developing a standard comment for discretionary developments, or advertising grants as they become available for qualified homeowners. Responsible Agency: Fire Department; Development Services Department – Building Services, and Office Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-1.3; S-2.2; S-63.2; S-6.4 Sustainability Focus? NoYes 8-16. Fire Hydrants 8-16.1. The City will evaluate and replace fire hydrants, as needed, to ensure minimum fire flow requirements are met. The City will replace existing fire hydrants with single two-inch outlets with fire hydrants with 2x4x4 inch outlets. 8-16.2. The City will flush all fire hydrants twice a year per current National Fire Protection Association standards. Responsible Agency: Fire Department; Public Works Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-63.2; S-63.4 Sustainability Focus? No Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-69 8-17. Technology and Crime Prevention 8-17.1. The City will investigate the use of intelligent video surveillance technology suitable for fixed or portable deployment for purposes of general crime suppression and specific site security for critical infrastructure and at other locations deemed appropriate for crime suppression. 8-17.2. The City will investigate using technology that would allow community members to report crime or other incidents from remote locations through computer and internet connections. 8-17.3. The City will explore emerging GPS technology suitable for tracking Individuals and property for crime prevention, locating missing persons, or other needs. 8-17.4. The City will look to connect its law enforcement databases to County, State, and Federal agencies, including potentially the Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The City will work with the court system to create interactive computer-based technologies that will allow officers to conduct business with the court while remaining on-duty within the City limits. Responsible Agency: Police Department Funding Source: Federal Government Grants; General Fund Time Frame: Within 6 months Related Policies: S-85.2; S-85.3; S-85.4; S-85.5; S-85.7; S-96.1 Sustainability Focus? No 8-18. Police Volunteer and Public Education, Outreach Programs, and Community Partnerships 8-18.1. As funding allows, the Police Department will continue to implement volunteer programs and outreach programs for crime prevention. The Police Department will actively pursue grants to fund such programs. 8-18.2. The City will convene and regularly train neighborhood-based emergency response teams (e.g., CERT) and explore incorporating climate change response and recovery. The City will utilize City website, social 10-70 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT media, and other paths (e.g., places of worship, community groups) to ensure CERT recruiting includes a diverse set of community members and leaders. 8-18.3. The City will provide information and instructions on how community members can prepare for disasters and climate events. 8-18.4. The City will work with local food banks to distribute food and pop-up food pantries during hazard events. 8-18.5. The City will work with non-profit organizations such as the Red Cross to improve support for frontline workers, such as first responders, medical professionals, shelter staff, and transportation workers, during major hazard events. This type of support may include emergency childcare if a hazard causes schools or daycares to be closed, counseling services if a hazard is especially devastating, or other hazard-specific efforts. 8-18.6. The City will include information on assistance programs in appropriate languages during and after a hazard event. 8-18.7. The City will explore partnerships for providing an emergency evacuation shuttle service. 8-18.8. The City will promote greater awareness of the impacts of extreme heat exposure on the most vulnerable populations, such as seniors, people living in poverty, those with chronic conditions, and outdoor workers. 8-18.9. The City will develop a debris flow public awareness campaign for households who live in debris flow hazard areas, as determined by fire risk, slope, and past debris flow events. Responsible Agency: Police Department; Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Grants Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-1.2; S-1.3; S-3.2; S-6.3; S-85.8; S-96.4; S-96.7; S-96.8 Sustainability Focus? NoYes 8-19. Partnership with AUSDLocal Agencies 8-19.1. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-71 The City will continue a comprehensive partnership between the Arcadia Unified School District and the Police Department for purposes of maximizing the safety of local children before, during, and after school. This partnership will encompass traffic management around the schools, and will include involvement of each school’s PTA. 8-19.2. The City will coordinate with demand-response/paratransit transit services prior to expected extreme heat days to ensure adequate capacity for customer demand for transportation to cooling centers. 8-19.3. The City will coordinate with local transit agencies to retrofit existing bus stops, where feasible, with shade structures to safeguard the health and comfort of transit users. 8-19.4. The City will coordinate with Southern California Edison and other energy-related organizations and agencies to explore potential programs and partnerships to reduce cost-burdens for low-income households related to the use of air conditioning during extreme heat events. Responsible Agency: Police Department; and Arcadia Unified School District; Development Services Department – Planning Services; Arcadia Transit Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-2.2; S-8.6, S-95.6 Sustainability Focus? NoYes 10-72 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 8-20. Police Sub-Station The City will continue to monitor the need for a police sub-station within the business zone containing the regional mall, Santa Anita Park, and other commercial uses that may develop on the racetrack property. Responsible Agency: Police Department and Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Funds; General Fund Time Frame: As-Needed Basis Related Policies: S-85.3 Sustainability Focus? No 8-21. Multi-Department Training Facility Seek funding to develop state of the art training facilities for Police, Fire, and Public Works personnel. The training facility will include a training room available for all City department’s class room training opportunities. The training facility will be able to accommodate large water flows required from Fire Department training and release these flows in compliance with all State and Federal regulations for waste water runoff and control. Responsible Agency: Fire and Police Departments; Public Works Services, and Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund and Grants Time Frame: Short Term (1-5 years) Related Policies: S-5.3 Sustainability Focus? No 8-212. Police and Fire Department Review 8-21.1. The City will refer pProposals for new development and redevelopment proposals will be referred to the Arcadia Fire and Police Departments for review and comment prior to approval of discretionary actions. The departments will also submit, as well as security and fire hazard management recommendations, and projected response times to the project site for inclusion by the City as project conditions of approval. For new development and redevelopment in fire hazard severity zones, project conditions of approval will be in line with the most current version of the California Building Codes and California Fire Code. 8-21.2. The City will continue to require new residential subdivisions and new accessory dwelling units within hazard areas to meet required evacuation standards in line with state fire codes, such as signage and road widths. 8-21.3. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-73 The City will encourage the strategic placement of structures in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones that conserve fire suppression resources, increase safety for emergency fire access and evacuation, and provide a point of attack or defense from a wildfire. 8-21.4. The City will encourage post-fire redevelopment proposals (when a structure is partially or entirely redeveloped as a result of structural damage from a wildfire) outside of a Fire Hazard Severity Zone to comply with the most current version of California Building Codes and California Fire Code. City staff will provide resources to the developer related to the building materials and vegetation components that go into the fire-safe design requirements of the California Building Codes and California Fire Code. Responsible Agency: Fire and Police Departments; Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-6.4; S-6.8; S-6.9; S-85.1; S-96.1; S-96.4; S-96.5; S-9.11 Sustainability Focus? No 8-223. On-site Security during Construction For large projects at the discretion of the Police Department, applicants will be required to provide on- site security during construction, commensurate with the scale of the development and level of risk, as a means of preventing potential theft and vandalism. Responsible Agency: Police Department Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-85.2 Sustainability Focus? No 8-234. Defensible SpaceCrime Prevention Through Environmental Design Crime shall be discouraged through the incorporation of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) "defensible space" concepts into the design of dwellings and structures. Responsible Agency: Police Department; Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-85.2 Sustainability Focus? No 10-74 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 8-24. Vegetation Management and Landscaping 8-24.1. The City will promote the use of natural, or nature-based, flood protection measures to prevent or minimize flood hazards, where feasible. These measures could include bioswales, green roofs, green alleys, and notched curbs. 8-24.2. The City will encourage the use of low-volume and well-maintained landscaping. The City will review recommended vegetation to include climate-adapted plants that are compatible with the area’s natural vegetative habitats and forecasted climate. 8-24.3. The City will coordinate with regional efforts to address unique or emerging pest, disease, exotic species, and other forest health issues in open space areas to reduce fire hazards and support ecological integrity. 8-24.4. Update the landscape ordinance to incentivize the preservation or replacement of mature trees. 8-24.5. The City will develop a new street regularly review tree species palette that prioritizes trees based on having low water needs and adaptability to climate change and future environmental conditions. 8-24.6. The City will identify grant funding to develop a program to install additional street trees or provide canopy trees to residents for planting. 8-24.7. The City will prioritize tree planting from approved street tree list based on the existing tree canopy and the population’s vulnerability to extreme heat. Where possible, integrate shade trees with bike and pedestrian infrastructure. 8-24.8. The City will ensure all park facilities, including recreational sports complexes, include a tree canopy, shade structures, and materials with low solar gain to improve usability on high heat days and reduce heat retention. Responsible Agency: Fire Department, Recreation and Community Services Department, Public Works Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-75 Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-1.1; S-1.3; S-2.1; S-2.2; S-5.3; S-6.2; S-6.8; S-6.10 Sustainability Focus? Yes 8-25. Climate Resilient Public Realm 8-25.1. The City will identify streets and intersections and other infrastructure that would be candidates for stormwater quality and green infrastructure enhancement features. 8-25.2. The City will continue to ensure that critical City facilities have backup energy sources such as battery storage. The City will prioritize clean energy sources, such as solar, where feasible. 8-25.3. The City will install refrigerators at resilience centers, such as existing cooling centers and emergency shelter locations, to provide storage for medication in blackout or other hazard events. 8-25.4. The City will investigate the use of City facilities such as parks, schools, and recreation centers to serve as cool zones. 8-25.5. The City will encourage the addition of shade structures in the public realm through appropriate means, especially in communities with reduced access to open space. 8-25.6. The City will encourage the use of cooling methods to reduce the heat retention of pavement and surfaces such as streets, parking lots, and walking paths. 8-25.7. The City will evaluate culverts in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones to determine if resizing them to accommodate wildfire flows during regular maintenance is required. Culverts that require increased debris cleaning during the rainy season will be prioritized. 8-25.8. The City will evaluate replacing plastic culverts with fire-resistant materials such as reinforced concrete pipe and steel in High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. 10-76 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Responsible Agency: Development Services Department - Planning Services; Fire Department; Recreation and Community Services Department; Arcadia Unified School District; Public Works Funding Source: General Plan, Grants Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-1.1; S-2.1; S-2.2; S-3.1; S-5.1; S-5.2; S-9.7; S-9.10 Sustainability Focus? Yes 8-26. Cool Building Design 8-26.1. The City will encourage cool or green roofs for new commercial buildings as a standard condition of approval. 8-26.2. The City will encourage alternatives to air conditioning such as ceiling fans, air exchangers, increased insulation, and low-solar-gain exterior materials to reduce peak electrical demands during extreme heat events to ensure reliability of the electrical grid. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department, Planning Services, Building Services Funding Source: General Plan, Grants Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-1.1; S-2.2 Sustainability Focus? Yes 9. Noise Element 9.1. Noise Assessments IThe City will incorporate noise reduction features during site planning to mitigate anticipated noise impacts on affected noise sensitive land uses. The noise contours figure illustrated in the Noise Element of the General Plan identifies areas within the City exposed to noise levels greater than 60dB CNEL shall be used to identify locations of potential conflict. New developments will be permitted only if appropriate mitigation measures are included. Educate developers and applicants on the City’s noise standards. For purposes of community noise assessment, potential changes to the existing noise and traffic conditions can adversely affect the ambient noise conditions. These can be characterized by measurable increases in noise levels and indirectly by increases in traffic volumes. Unless otherwise exempted, proposed projects shall require preparation of environmental analyses under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act and an acoustical analysis for proposed new construction to pursue the noise standards identified in Table N-2 in the noise Element. Among other required elements, the analysis shall discuss how the project will pursue the following guidelines: ƒ No more than 3dBA CNEL increase for all areas where the proposed project’s noise levels would meet or exceed the City’s dBA CNEL noise level performance shown in Table N-2. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-77 ƒ No more than a 5 dBA CNEL noise level increase for areas where the proposed project’s noise levels remain below the City’s noise standards shown in Table N-2. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund; Applicant Funding Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: N-1.1 Sustainability Focus? No 9-2. Enforce California Noise Insulation Standards EThe City will enforce provisions of the California Noise Insulation Standards (Title 24) that specify that indoor noise levels for multifamily residential living spaces shall not exceed 45 dB CNEL. The standard is defined as the combined effect of all noise sources, and is implemented when existing or future exterior noise levels exceed 60 dB CNEL. Title 24 further requires that the standard be applied to all new hotels, motels, apartment houses and dwellings other than detached single-family dwellings. The City will additionally apply the standard to single-family dwellings and condominium conversion projects. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services, Building Services, and Code Enforcement Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No 9-3. Ensure Noise Limits Identified in the City’s Municipal Code Are Enforced EThe City will enforce noise limits, as identified in the City’s Municipal Code, which specifies acceptable limits of noise throughout the City for all land uses Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services and Code Enforcement; Police Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: N-1.2; N-1-3; N-1.4; N-1.5 Sustainability Focus? No 9-4. Utilization of Land Use Noise Guidelines UThe City will utilize land use noise guidelines developed in the Noise Element of the General Plan to consider appropriate location noise generating uses during the development review process Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: N-1.2; N-1.3; N-1.4; N-1.5 10-78 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Sustainability Focus? No 9-5. Collaborate with Responsible Agencies to Minimize Transportation Related Noise WThe City will work with responsible federal and state agencies to minimize the impact of transportation- related noise, including noise associated with freeways and major arterials Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning and Engineering Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: N-2.1; N-2.2; N-2.3; N-2.4; N-2.5; N-2.6 Sustainability Focus? No 9-6. Evaluation of City Purchases IThe City will include noise considerations in evaluating City purchases of noise generating equipment (vehicles, motorized maintenance equipment, etc.), giving priority where practicable to purchase items incorporating all available noise control technology. Responsible Agency: Public Works Department Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: N-3.1; N-3.3 Sustainability Focus? No 9-7. Quiet Pavement Surfaces CThe City will consider quiet pavement surfaces such as rubberized streets in the City’s repaving plans as an opportunity to make a noticeable reduction in traffic noise along City streets. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services; Public Works Services Funding Source: Gas Tax; General Fund; Transportation Funds Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: Cl-2.5; N-2.3 Sustainability Focus? No 9.8. Impact on Noise Sensitive Land Uses The City will require an acoustical analysis Iif a project that will create or impact existing noise sensitive land uses is proposed in a location that is beyond the 60 dBA CNEL contour or higher within the City, using the typical noise contours in the Noise Element, an acoustical analysis shall be prepared. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services and Code Enforcement Funding Source: Private Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-79 Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: N-1.1 Sustainability Focus? No 10. Environmental Justice Element 10-1. Bike and Pedestrian Improvements The City will conduct outreach and engage with community members to identify and prioritize streets and intersections for improvements to sidewalks, and bike lanes when planning for new active transport infrastructure. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Capital Improvement Program Funds; Transportation Funds Time Frame: Medium-term Related Policies: EJ-1.1; EJ-1.2; CI-4.1; CI-4.2; CI-4.3; CI-4.5; CI-4.7; CI-4.9; CI-4.10; CI-4.11; PR-1.12 Sustainability Focus? Yes 10-2. Emergency Preparedness Education The City will educate residents about personal emergency preparedness and the emergency resources that the City provides to them. This will be accomplished through a variety of channels, including educational materials, public events, and online resources to ensure residents are aware of emergency preparedness resources. Responsible Agency: Fire Department, Police Department, and City Manager’s Office Funding Source: Departmental Budget Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: EJ-4.3; S-9.1; S-9.4 Sustainability Focus? No 10-3. Cooling Infrastructure 10-3.1. The City will work with the County of Los Angeles to expand cooling center amenities within the city and increase awareness of community awareness of cooling centers through public education materials and events. 10-3.2. The City will identify a network of streets, prioritizing transit corridors and routes to school, to strategically install more shade structures, benches and places to rest, reflective pavements, and other interventions 10-80 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT to abate urban heat island effect and encourage active mobility. The City will secure long-term funding for initial implementation and ongoing maintenance. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund; Transportation Funds; Grants Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: S-9.7; PR-3.1; EJ-1.3; EJ-4.1; EJ 4.2 Sustainability Focus? No 10-4. Innovative Strategies for Parks Access The City will identify opportunities to expand park access with the goal of ensuring that all residents have access to a park within a 10 minute walk (0.5 miles). Strategies will include identifying sites for construction of pocket parks or mini parks, typically less than 1 acre, prioritizing areas with low park access and areas where larger parks are not possible. The City will also continue to maintain shared-use agreements with schools and other entities to allow public access to facilities outside of hours of operation. Responsible Agency: Recreation and Community Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Mid-term Related Policies: EJ-1.4; PR-1.9; PR-4.3 Sustainability Focus? No 10-5. Pollution Mitigation for Parks The City will, when planning for upgrades to parks which are adjacent to the freeway, rail corridor, or major roads, include sufficient landscaping, fencing, or other barriers to reduce noise and air pollution impacts. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Capital Improvement Funds; Transportation Funds Time Frame: Medium-term Related Policies: EJ-1.5; EJ-2.1; RS-1.2 Sustainability Focus? No 10-6. Reduce Truck-related Pollution When truck routes are being planned or re-evaluated, the City will minimize impacts to sensitive land uses such as homes and schools whenever feasible. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Short-term Related Policies: EJ-2.1; RS-1.4, RS-1.6 Sustainability Focus? No 10-7. Home Weatherization Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-81 The City will work with energy providers to advertise and help connect low-income homeowners and renters to California Department of Community Services and Development programs, including the Weatherization Assistance Program. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: EJ-3.1 Sustainability Focus? Yes 10-8. Temporary Shelters The City will work with nonprofit partners to identify creative solutions for temporary housing, including temporary shelter, for people experiencing homelessness, including after natural disasters. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services, Recreation & Community Services Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Related Policies: EJ-3.2; H-3.4 Sustainability Focus? No 1011. Mitigation Measures Each implementation program below is a mitigation measure included in the General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The programs are grouped by subject, consistent with the format of the EIR. Air Quality 110-1. Reduction of Exhaust Emissions from Construction Equipment The City shall require construction projects that are subject to discretionary approval to implement the following measures to reduce exhaust emissions from construction equipment: 1. Commercial electric power shall be provided to the project site in adequate capacity to avoid or minimize the use of portable gas/diesel-powered electric generators and equipment. 2. Where feasible, equipment requiring the use of fossil fuels (e.g., diesel) shall be replaced or substituted with electrically driven equivalents (provided that they are not run via a portable generator set). 3. To the extent feasible, alternative fuels and emission controls shall be used to further reduce exhaust emissions. 4. On-site equipment shall not be left idling when not in use. 5. Staging areas for heavy-duty construction equipment shall be located as far as possible from sensitive receptors. 10-82 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Responsible Agency: Development Services Department– Building Services Division Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? Yes 110-2. Heath Risk Assessments The City shall require future development that is inconsistent with the recommended buffer distances (siting criteria) in CARB’s Land Use Handbook to prepare a site-specific health risk assessment to determine impacts to sensitive receptors. In light of the results of the aforementioned analysis, the City shall implement the following measures to minimize exposure of sensitive receptors and sites to health risks related to air pollution: 1. Encourage site plan designs to provide appropriate set-back and/or design features that reduce TACs at the source; 2. Encourage the applicants for sensitive land uses to incorporate design features (e.g., pollution prevention, pollution reduction, barriers, landscaping, ventilation systems, or other measures) in the planning process to minimize the potential impacts to sensitive receptors; and 3. Orient activities involving idling trucks as far away from and downwind of existing or proposed sensitive receptors as feasible. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? Yes Biological Resources 110-3. Habitat Assessments Prior to the development of vacant and undeveloped areas, a qualified biologist, under the direction from the City, shall determine whether a habitat assessment is required to assess site potential to support any special status plant or wildlife species. If potentially suitable habitat is present for any special status species, then the City shall direct appropriate focused surveys to be performed to determine the presence or absence of special status species. If any special status species is identified on the site, then appropriate avoidance and/or mitigation measures shall be implemented, as approved by the resource agencies, and subject to the necessary permits under the FESA, the CESA, the California Fish and Game Code, and other applicable regulations. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-83 Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? Yes Cultural Resources 110-4. Architectural Resource Assessments Prior to the issuance of demolition permits that may affect structures 50 years of age or older, a qualified architectural historian shall conduct an assessment to determine the significance of the structure(s) and/or site(s). Project applicants/developers shall ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, direct or indirect impacts to any known properties that are deemed eligible for inclusion in the NRHP, the CRHR, or a local designation be avoided and/or preserved consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Should avoidance and/or preservation not be a feasible option, a qualified architectural historian shall develop a mitigation program that may include, but not be limited to, formal documentation of the structure using historical narrative and photographic documentation, facade preservation, and/or monumentation. Properties are not equally significant, and some retain more significance than others. Therefore, prior to development decisions, a qualified architectural historian shall be retained to evaluate the circumstance regarding the property and planned development and to make management decisions regarding documentation of the property. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No 110-5. Archaeological Resource Assessments Projects that would require ground disturbance and would be located on undeveloped parcels or near known cultural resources shall implement the following: 1. If only minor ground disturbance is anticipated, a “Quick Check” records search at the South Central Coastal Information Center, Fullerton, must be performed to determine whether archaeological resources are recorded on the project site. If no archeological resources were recorded on the project site based on past surveys completed, then no further action is required. If no survey has ever been conducted on the project site, or if archaeological resources are found to be recorded on the project site, a Phase I study is required. Should cultural resources be encountered during construction activities, a qualified Archaeologist shall be retained to evaluate the discovery and shall implement procedures for temporarily halting or redirecting work to permit the sampling, identification, and evaluation of the resources, as appropriate. If the resources are found to be significant, the Archaeologist shall determine appropriate actions—in cooperation with the City —for preservation and/or data recovery. 2. If a project requires major ground disturbance (e.g. grading, trenching), a Phase 1 study shall be undertaken to evaluate the current conditions of a project site. The study shall consist of (1) an initial records search including records, maps, and literature housed at the Archaeological Information Center located at California State University, Fullerton; (2) a Sacred Lands check with 10-84 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT the NAHC and initial scoping with interested Indian Tribes and individuals identified by the NAHC; (3) a pedestrian field survey by a qualified Archaeologist to determine the presence or absence of surficial artifactual material and/or the potential for buried resources; and (4) a technical report describing the study and offering management recommendations for potential further investigation. 3. If archaeological resources are discovered as a result of the Phase I study, a Phase II evaluation of the significance of any prehistoric material that is present shall be undertaken. The evaluation shall include further archival research, ethnographic research, and subsurface testing/excavation to determine the site’s horizontal and vertical extent, the density and diversity of cultural material, and the site’s overall integrity. The evaluation shall include a technical report describing the findings and offering management recommendations for sites determined to be significant. Non significant resources would require no further study. 4. If the Phase II evaluative study indicates that a significant site is present, the qualified Archaeologist shall determine appropriate actions, in cooperation with the City of Arcadia, for preservation and/or data recovery of the resource. Preservation in place is the preferred manner of mitigation, as provided in CCR Section 15126.5(b)(3). This could include (1) avoidance of resources; (2) incorporation of resources into open space; (3) capping the resource with chemically stable sediments; and/or (4) deeding the resource into a permanent conservation easement. To the extent that a resource cannot be preserved in place, a Phase III data recovery excavation shall be completed to recover the resource’s scientifically consequential information. A technical report shall be completed that adheres to the OHP’s Archaeological Resources Management Report (ARMR) guidelines. 5. Monitoring of ground-disturbing activities shall be undertaken by a qualified Archaeologist as a final mitigation measure in areas that contain or are sensitive for the presence of cultural resources. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No 110-6. Paleontological Resource Assessments Future development and public and infrastructure projects that would excavate into Older Quaternary Alluvium deposits shall implement the following: 1. An archival records search shall be undertaken at the NHMLAC to determine the depositional environment within the project area and to evaluate the likelihood of fossils being present. 2. A field survey shall be undertaken prior to ground-disturbing activities in areas of potential but unknown sensitivity to evaluate the site for the presence of significant fossil resources and establish the need for paleontological salvage and/or monitoring. 3. If significant fossils are discovered as a result of a field survey or during monitoring operations, a qualified Paleontologist shall determine appropriate actions, in cooperation with the City of Arcadia, for the preservation and/or salvage of the resource. 4. Any monitoring activities shall be accomplished by a qualified paleontologist so that fossils discovered during grading can be scientifically and efficiently recovered and preserved. 5. A qualified paleontologist shall prepare collected specimens to a point of identification and place the prepared fossils in the appropriate institution for permanent curation. 6. Upon completion of recovery and curation, all studies and actions shall be described in a paleontological technical report prepared by a qualified paleontologist. Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-85 Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No Geology and Soils 110-7. Sewer Requirements for Northern Areas of the City Future development at the northern edge of the City (generally north/northwest of Canyon Road) shall provide for the extension of sewer lines to serve the proposed project in order to avoid hazards associated with soils incapable of supporting septic tank systems. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No Noise 110-8. Construction Noise Reduction Measures Prior to issuance of discretionary permits for construction activities, project applicants/developers shall submit evidence to the Director of Development Services that the following noise reduction measures are stated as requirements on the construction plans and specifications: ƒ During all excavation and grading, the construction contractors shall equip all construction equipment, fixed or mobile, with properly operating and maintained mufflers, consistent with manufacturers’ standards. The construction contractor shall place all stationary construction equipment so that emitted noise is directed away from the noise-sensitive receptors. ƒ When feasible, the construction contractor shall locate equipment staging in areas that will create the greatest distance between construction-related noise sources and noise sensitive receptors during all project construction. ƒ The construction contractor shall limit all construction-related activities that would result in high noise levels, according to the construction hours set forth in the Municipal Code. ƒ The construction contractor shall limit haul truck deliveries to the same hours specified for construction equipment. To the extent feasible, haul routes shall not pass sensitive land uses or residential dwellings. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No 10-86 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT 110-9. Acoustical Study for Projects with High Levels of Ambient Noise Prior to the issuance of discretionary permits for residential development in areas with existing high levels of ambient noise (i.e., along major roadways and the railroad tracks), a detailed acoustical study using architectural plans shall be prepared by a qualified Acoustical Consultant and submitted to the Development Services Department for residential structures. This report shall describe and quantify the noise sources impacting the building(s), the amount of outdoor-to-indoor noise reduction provided in the architectural plans, and any upgrades required to meet the City’s interior noise standards (45 CNEL for residences). The measures described in the report shall be incorporated into the architectural plans for the buildings and implemented with building construction. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services (site plan review); Building Services Division (plan check process) Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No 110-10. Noise Assessment for Stationary Noise near Sensitive Receptors For proposed commercial and industrial land uses that would generate stationary noise near noise sensitive receptors, a detailed noise assessment shall be prepared by a qualified Acoustical Consultant prior to the issuance of building permits. The assessment shall utilize noise data provided by the manufacturer(s) of the equipment utilized by the project or noise measurements from substantially similar equipment to project noise levels at the noise-sensitive uses (on- and off-site). Compliance with the City’s noise standards for residences shall be demonstrated and any measures required to meet the noise standards shall be described and incorporated into the building plans for the project. These measures may include, but not be limited to, selection of quiet models, construction of barriers, equipment enclosures, and placement of the equipment. Project applicants/developers shall submit evidence to the Director of Planning Development that the following noise reduction measures are stated as requirements on the construction plans and specifications: ƒ Require preparation of a noise analysis for all proposed commercial and industrial projects to be located adjacent to an existing noise-sensitive use, including but not limited to residential areas, schools, and hospitals. ƒ Design the construction of new commercial and industrial uses adjacent to noise-sensitive uses with noise mitigation measures to reduce the noise impacts associated with truck deliveries and stationary equipment, such as pumps, compressors, and air conditioning units. ƒ Require that all loading facilities be located and designed to minimize the potential noise impacts to adjacent noise sensitive uses. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services (site plan review); Building Services Division (plan check process) Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Implementation Plan | 10-87 110-11. Groundborne Vibration Mitigation Plan Prior to the issuance of a grading permit for projects that have a potential to generate groundborne vibration (e.g., use of pile drivers, rock drills, and pavement breakers) or be exposed to vibration from off- site sources, the City shall require applicants for development projects that would be located adjacent to any developed/occupied sensitive local receptors or for proposed residential projects to submit a construction-related vibration mitigation plan to the City for review and approval. The mitigation plan shall depict the location of the construction equipment and activities and how the vibration from this equipment and activity would be mitigated during construction of the project. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Division Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No Utilities 110-12. Water, Sewer, and Storm Drain Assessments Prior to approval of development applications that could have an impact on existing water, sewer, or storm drain infrastructure capacities, as determined by the City Engineer, the project applicant/developer shall be required to determine project impacts on each system. If water, sewer, and/or storm drain infrastructure improvements are required in order to serve the proposed project, then appropriate mitigation shall be provided in the analysis and shall be incorporated into site development plans, subject to review and approval by the City Engineer. If infrastructure improvements outside the jurisdiction of the City of Arcadia are required, including improvements to trunk sewer lines owned by the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, the needed improvements, or fair share payments in lieu of infrastructure improvements, shall be completed to the satisfaction of the appropriate jurisdictions. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Engineering Services Division Funding Source: Private Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? No Greenhouse Gas Emissions 110-13. Mixed Use Development The City shall actively encourage the development and maintenance of mixed uses, particularly in the Mixed Use and Downtown Mixed Use areas, by maintaining a list of sites available for mixed use and infill development and making the list available to developers. The City shall establish developer incentives to encourage well-designed, mixed use and infill development projects in these areas. 10-88 | Implementation Plan Arcadia General Plan – December 2024_DRAFT Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Division Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Short-term (1-5 years) for preparation of site list; ongoing encouragement of Mixed Use projects Sustainability Focus? Yes 110-14. LEED and other Green Certifications and Ratings The City shall encourage future development and major renovation projects to achieve LEED certification, and/or other green certifications. The City shall investigate the potential to offer density bonus incentives on residential projects that achieve LEED certification, and other green certifications and ratings. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Division Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Ongoing Sustainability Focus? Yes 110-15. California Attorney General and CAPCOA Policies The City shall consider and evaluate the applicability of the policies contained in the California Attorney General‘s Sustainability and General Plans: Examples of Policies to Address Climate Change California Attorney General’s Office 1/22/10 and the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association‘s (CAPCOA’s) Model Policies for Greenhouse Gas Emissions in General Plans June 2009. Attachment B of the Air Quality Report (Appendix E of the Draft EIR) includes the referenced documents in their entirety. Responsible Agency: Development Services Department – Planning Services Division Funding Source: General Fund Time Frame: Short-term (1-5 years) Sustainability Focus? Yes Attachment No. 5 Attachment No. 5 Excerpt of Planning Commission minutes dated November 26, 2024 November 26, 2024 Planning Commission Staff Report Attachments can be found at www.arcadiaca.gov/generalplan DATE: November 26, 2024 TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commission FROM: Lisa L. Flores, Deputy Development Services Director By: Fiona Graham, Planning Services Manager SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 2161 – A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO UPDATE THE SAFETY ELEMENT AND ADOPT A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT CEQA: Negative Declaration Recommendation: Recommend Approval to the City Council SUMMARY The Development Services Department has prepared General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 24-01, which updates the General Plan Safety Element, adopts a new Environmental Justice (EJ) Element, and revises the General Plan Implementation Plan with updated and new policies and goals. State law mandates the update of the Safety Element alongside the Housing Element, which was certified in early 2024. The updated Safety Element addresses wildfire and earthquake risks, climate change vulnerability, emergency evacuation routes, and overall community readiness and resilience. In compliance with Senate Bill (SB) 1000, the City is also required to adopt an Environmental Justice Element when updating two or more elements simultaneously. The Environmental Justice Element introduces policies and goals to enhance environmental equity across the City. Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 2161 (Attachment No. 1), recommending City Council approval of GPA No. 24 -01, based on the findings in this report and the accompanying Negative Declaration prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 November 26, 2024 Page 2 of 12 BACKGROUND The City adopted its Housing Element update in 2022, and received certification from Housing and Community Development (HCD) in February 2024, following an extensive rezoning effort. California law requires cities to update the Safety Element and, where applicable, an Environmental Justice Element, in conjunction with the Housing Element update. The updates are required to ensure compliance with recent changes to State law and to address concerns regarding climate vulnerability, community safety, and environmental justice. These updates are essential to maintaining a comprehensive and legally compliant General Plan that reflects the community’s needs and priorities. The Safety Element is one of the seven (7) required elements of the General Plan, designed to protect the community from risks such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and other hazards. Recent legislative changes require the integration of climate adaptation, resilience strategies, and evacuation planning into this element. This is largely the result of catastrophic wildfires that have impacted urban and suburban locations throughout the State in recent years. For communities with disadvantaged populations as defined by Senate Bill 1000, the development or integration of an Environmental Justice (EJ) Element is also required. This element aims to address health inequities and environmental burdens that disproportionately affect low-income communities. The City contracted with Dudek in March 2022 to prepare a Safety Element update. Simultaneous with the preparation of the Safety Element review, staff investigated whether the City would be required to prepare an EJ Element. After consultation with the Attorney General’s office, it was determined that the City is required to prepare an EJ Element. The agreement with Dudek was therefore amended in mid-2023 to also include the preparation of an Environmental Justice Element and a Negative Declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for both elements. ANALYSIS The City has prepared an update of the Safety Element, a new Environmental Justice Element, and associated updates to the Implementation Plan of the General Plan. These changes and updates have been prepared in response to State requirements. Safety Element Update The City’s Safety Element was most recently updated in 2010 as part of the comprehensive General Plan update, undertaken at that time. In 2018, SB 1035 went into effect, which requires the City’s General Plan Safety Element to be updated in conjunction with the Housing Element update, to address new requirements and incorporate updated information. The Safety Element of a General Plan aims to protect communities from risks associated with natural and human-made hazards. It identifies potential dangers such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and climate-related impacts, and outlines policies and programs to General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 November 26, 2024 Page 3 of 12 reduce these risks. By addressing hazard mitigation, emergency preparedness, evacuation planning, and community resilience, the Safety Element ensures public safety, infrastructure reliability, and environmental protection, fostering a sustainable and secu re future for all residents. The City’s draft updated Safety Element (Attachment No. 2) includes updated and new policies and goals which have been prepared to comply with the following State law requirements: • SB 379 (2015): Requires the City to address climate adaptation and resiliency through the preparation of a vulnerability assessment or reliance on a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan that addresses climate adaptation risks and vulnerabilities. • AB 747 (2020): Mandates that the City include an analysis of evacuation routes in the Safety Element. The analysis must assess the capacity, safety, and viability of existing and proposed evacuation routes under a range of emergency scenarios, such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and hazardous material incidents. • SB 99 (2020): Requires the Safety Element to identify residential developments in any hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes. In response to this suite of bills that have been adopted in recent years, the Safety Element has been updated to include: • Three (3) new goals addressing resilience to environmental hazards such as debris flows and extreme heat, to reduce the potential for loss of life, injury, and property damage during such events; • Two (2) new policies on earthquake preparedness and evacuation route planning with the aim of reducing loss of life and property damage resulting from earthquakes and other geological hazards; • One (1) new policy on developments in flood areas to minimize risks and to prevent isolation from essential services and facilities during a flood event ; • Four (4) new policies and various other updated policies on reducing the impacts of wildfire. These changes aim to reduce the impacts from wildland and urban fires through ongoing maintenance, appropriate building location and design, vegetation management, and by ensuring ongoing adequate water supply; • Five (5) new policies on effective emergency and disaster response preparedness. The new policies aim to improve resilience in the community through education, interagency coordination, and maintaining essential public facilities and infrastructure needed during emergencies; and • Various other updates and text cleanups to improve readability, provide current information and statuses on programs and projects, and to comply with the various State bills. The Development Services Staff worked closely with the City’s Fire Department in the update to the Safety Element, as much of the new law and policy is directly related to fire protection. In addition, pursuant to State law, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reviews Safety Element updates. On October 31, 2023, Cal Fire General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 November 26, 2024 Page 4 of 12 verified that the City’s Safety Element update included all required information. For the full text of the updated Safety Element, see Attachment No. 2. Environmental Justice Element In 2016, the California Legislature passed SB 1000, which aims to improve the health of local jurisdictions in California through adoption of an environmental justice element. This made EJ a mandatory topic for the City to address in its General Plan. An Environmental Justice Element must identify disadvantaged communities in the City and is required to incorporate objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in those disadvantaged communities, promote civic engagement in the public decision - making process, and prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of the disadvantaged communities. A “disadvantaged community” is an area that is low income, and which has high levels of environmental pollution. Disadvantaged communities are disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation. The City of Arcadia has one disadvantaged community as mapped on CalEnviroScreen – a portion of Census Tract 4325, shown below. Although this area technically meets the criteria to be identified as a disadvantaged community, within Arcadia, the census tract is entirely zoned for light industrial uses. The remainder of Census Tract 4325 is within the City of El Monte and comprises a residential neighborhood (refer to Figure 1). SB 1000 does not take into account the number of residents when defining a disadvantaged community. Since Census Tract 4325 is a disadvantaged community, the City is required to prepare an EJ Element. As part of the preparation of the EJ Element, the City was required to undertake community consultation. The City held a virtual community meeting on October 11, 2023. The community meeting included a discussion on seven different environmental justice topics, which attendees provided comments on. These workshop discussions were then used to inform the preparation of the EJ Element in conjunction with staff research and established City priorities. General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 November 26, 2024 Page 5 of 12 Figure 1: Arcadia zoning and the boundary of census tract 4325 (red dashed line). The draft EJ Element includes a discussion on seven areas of environmental justice, as required by SB 1000. They are: • Active and public transportation • Climate change • Healthy Food • Parks and Public Facilities • Pollution • Safe and Sanitary Housing • Community Engagement From these areas of discussion, four goals and 11 policies were included in the draft EJ Element which respond to the unique and specific circumstances found within Arcadia. These goals and policies primarily amend or enhance existing programs already implemented in the City by prioritizing environmental justice goals. For example, Policy 1.6 is to “continue to update truck route maps that minimize exposure to sensitive land uses.” This policy ensures that when the City’s truck route maps are updated, that new routes take sensitive land uses into consideration with the aim of reducing pollution on General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 November 26, 2024 Page 6 of 12 those uses. New implementation actions are included in the General Plan Implementation Plan to effectuate the new EJ policies. For the full text of the new EJ Element, please see Attachment No. 3. Implementation Plan The Safety Element section of the Implementation Plan has been updated to reflect the new and revised goals and policies prepared as part of this amendment. Three (3) new programs have been included, and eight (8) existing programs have had substantive changes made to reflect the new goals and policies within the draft Safety Element update. In addition, eight (8) new programs are included to implement the goals and policies of the new EJ Element. In addition to the updates necessary to implement the Safety and EJ Elements, minor clean-ups throughout the document have been undertaken for improved readability, and internal consistency. The draft updated Safety Element, draft EJ Element, and draft updated Implementation Plan can be found as Attachments 2, 3, and 4, respectively. FINDINGS Pursuant to Development Code Section 9108.03.060, the General Plan Amendmen t may be approved if all the following findings can be satisfied. General Plan Amendment Findings: 1. The amendment is internally consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan. Facts in Support of the Finding: The City’s General Plan Safety Element focuses on identifying and avoiding or mitigating hazards present in the environment that may adversely affect property and lives. The Safety Element update will further strengthen this aim by addressing the increasing risks associated with climate change, and by updating information on Very High Fire Hazard Areas, and evacuation routes. These updates serve to bring the Safety Elemen t into compliance with State law and also reflect changes that have occurred in the City and environment over the past decade since the Safety Element was previously adopted. Changes and updates to the Safety Element’s goals and policies are consistent with the other elements in the General Plan. The new Environmental Justice Element will be consistent with all other provisions of the General Plan. The new policies, and implementation actions have been prepared to enhance existing policies and programs contained within the General Plan by prioritizing or emphasizing environmental justice goals. The Environmental Justice Element also recognizes that many existing policies within other elements already support environmental justice goals. These existing policies have been identified within the Environmental Justice Element. Therefore, the Safety Element General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 November 26, 2024 Page 7 of 12 update and the Environmental Justice Element are consistent with the goals of the General Plan and with all other provisions within other elements. 2. The proposed amendment will not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience, or general welfare of the City. Facts in Support of the Finding: The proposed amendments are in the public’s interests by furthering the General Plan’s goals of creating a safe, healthy and resilient community. The updated Safety Element includes new and revised policies and goals which will improve safety, and reduce risk from hazards in the City. In compliance with State law, the new goals and policies will focus on managing the impacts of a changing climate, improving resilience in the community, and ensuring adequate and safe evacuation routes for all the City’s communities. The new Environmental Justice Element aims to improve environmental equity throughout the City by implementing new policies and goals to promote and prioritize environmental justice. The Environmental Justice Element promotes equitable access to clean air, safe housing, and reliable transportation, improving overall quality of life, which supports the health, safety, and general welfare of the City’s residents. In addition to furthering the public’s interest, the proposed amendments were analyzed to ensure that no impacts to the public’s health, safety or welfare of the City would result from the changes. In accordance with CEQA guidelines, a Negative Declaration was prepared. The Negative Declaration concluded that no significant impacts would result from the updated Safety Element and new Environmental Justice Element. Therefore, the proposed General Plan amendment would not be detrimental to the public’s health, safety or welfare and is in the public’s interest. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed GPA has been assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and CEQA Guidelines. An Initial Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND) has been prepared for the GPA for the City, as the lead agency. The IS/ND was prepared consistent with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) on the basis that there was no substantial evidence that there may be significant environmental impacts on specific environmental areas – refer to Attachment No. 5. In fact, the entire basis for the updating of the Safety Element, and the creation of the EJ element, is to ensure that policies and programs are protecting the environment and the health, safety, and welfare of residents, which is one of the overarching goals of CEQA. The IS/ND was made available for public review from October 24, 2024, to November 25, 2024. A Notice of Intent to adopt the IS/ND was published in the newspaper on October General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 November 26, 2024 Page 8 of 12 24, 2024, posted on the City’s webpage, and posted at the L.A. County Clerk’s office on October 24, 2024. A copy of the IS/ND was made available on the City’s webpage, at the Planning Division office, and at the library. During this time period, public agencies, organizations, and the public in general were afforded the opportunity to review the Draft IS/MND, and submit written comments regarding the documents and the proposed project. As of November 22, 2024, the City had received one comment letter from the office of the Attorney General acknowledging preparation of the Environmental Justice Element – refer to Attachment No. 5. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 2161 (Attachment No. 1) to recommend approval of General Plan Amendment No. GPA 24-01 to the City Council, based on the findings listed in this staff report, and the Negative Declaration in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). If any Planning Commissioner or other interested party has any questions or comments regarding this matter prior to the November 26, 2024, hearing, please contact Planning Services Manager, Fiona Graham, at (626) 574-5442, or by email at fgraham@ArcadiaCA.gov. Approved: on behalf of Lisa L. Flores Deputy Development Services Director Attachment No. 1: Resolution No. 2017 Attachment No. 2: Draft Safety Element Update Attachment No. 3: Draft Environmental Justice Element Attachment No. 4: Draft Implementation Plan Update Attachment No. 5: Environmental Document – Draft Negative Declaration including the comment letter received. Attachment No. 6 Attachment No. 6 Errata Sheet and Draft Implementation Plan Update Initial Study/Negative Declaration Page Number Before After 6-7 All references to Environmental Justice Goals and Policies are in the format: “Goal X” “Policy X.XX” All references to Environmental Justice Goals and Policies are updated to be consistent with the Environmental Justice Element, in the following format (new text in red): “Goal EJ-X” “Policy EJ-X.XX” Initial Study/Negative Declaration City of Arcadia General Plan Amendment: Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element - DRAFT OCTOBER 2024 Prepared for: CITY OF ARCADIA 240 W Huntington Drive Arcadia, California 91007 Contact: Fiona Graham Prepared by: 605 Third Street Encinitas, California 92024 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. 14247.04 i OCTOBER 2024 Table of Contents SECTION PAGE Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................ iii 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 California Environmental Quality Act Compliance ................................................................................ 1 1.3 Initial Study Checklist ............................................................................................................................. 2 2 Project Description ............................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Safety Element Update .......................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Environmental Justice Element ............................................................................................................. 5 3 Initial Study Checklist........................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1 Aesthetics ............................................................................................................................................ 14 3.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources ................................................................................................... 15 3.3 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................................. 16 3.4 Biological Resources ........................................................................................................................... 17 3.5 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................................................. 18 3.6 Energy .................................................................................................................................................. 19 3.7 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................................................ 20 3.8 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ................................................................................................................ 22 3.9 Hazards and Hazardous Materials ..................................................................................................... 22 3.10 Hydrology and Water Quality ............................................................................................................... 24 3.11 Land Use and Planning ....................................................................................................................... 26 3.12 Mineral Resources .............................................................................................................................. 27 3.13 Noise .................................................................................................................................................... 28 3.14 Population and Housing ...................................................................................................................... 29 3.15 Public Services .................................................................................................................................... 29 3.16 Recreation ............................................................................................................................................ 30 3.17 Transportation ..................................................................................................................................... 31 3.18 Tribal Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................... 32 3.19 Utilities and Service Systems .............................................................................................................. 33 3.20 Wildfire ................................................................................................................................................. 34 3.21 Mandatory Findings of Significance ................................................................................................... 35 4 References and Preparers ................................................................................................................................ 37 4.1 Initial Study/Negative Declaration References Cited ........................................................................ 37 CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 ii OCTOBER 2024 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 14247.04 iii OCTOBER 2024 Acronyms and Abbreviations Acronym/Abbreviation Definition BMP Best Management Practice CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CGS California Geologic Survey City City of Arcadia dB Decibel EIR Environmental Impact Report EJ Environmental Justice GHG Greenhouse Gas GPA General Plan Amendment IS Initial Study MRZ Mineral Resource Zones ND Negative Declaration NPDES National Pollution Discharge Elimination System SCAB South Coast Air Basin SCAQMD South Coast Air Quality Management District SWPPP Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 iv OCTOBER 2024 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 14247.04 1 OCTOBER 2024 1 Introduction 1.1 Project Overview The purpose of the proposed project is to update the City of Arcadia’s (City’s) General Plan by providing updates to the Safety Element and provide a new Environmental Justice Element. The City’s General Plan provides the policy framework for the long-range planning of physical development in the community and consists of the following elements: Land Use and Community Design Element, Economic Development Element, Circulation and Infrastructure Element, Housing Element, Resource Sustainability Element, Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources Element, Safety Element, and Noise Element. This project involves an amendment to the General Plan in order to adopt, as required by State Law, an updated Safety Element and a new Environmental Justice Element. The Safety Element of the General Plan is intended to address public safety planning by identifying natural or human-made hazards present in the City and identifying strategies to avoid or mitigate these hazards. Government Code Sections 65302(g) and 65302(f) identify several issues to consider in such planning efforts, as does California Health and Safety Code Section 56050.1. The proposed Safety Element update would integrate the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) into the Safety Element, and all future updates to the LHMP by reference. The proposed project would also update the Safety Element to address potential hazards as a result of climate change. The new Environmental Justice (EJ) Element includes policies to reduce the “unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities,” “promote civic engagement in the public decision-making process,” pursuant to Per California Government Code Section 65302(h). The primary focuses of the EJ Element are reducing pollution exposure, preparing for the effects of climate change, promoting active and public transportation, improving parks and public facilities, and promoting safe and sanitary housing. 1.2 California Environmental Quality Act Compliance The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), a statewide environmental law described in California Public Resources Code, Sections 21000–21177, applies to most public agency decisions to carry out, authorize, or approve actions that have the potential to adversely affect the environment. The overarching goal of CEQA is to protect the physical environment. To achieve that goal, CEQA requires that public agencies identify the environmental consequences of their discretionary actions and consider alternatives and mitigation measures that could avoid or reduce significant adverse impacts when avoidance or reduction is feasible. It also gives other public agencies and the public an opportunity to comment on the information. If significant adverse impacts cannot be avoided, reduced, or mitigated to below a level of significance, the public agency is required to prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) and balance the project’s environmental concerns with other goals and benefits in a statement of overriding considerations. The City’s Planning Division of the Development Services Department directed and supervised the preparation of this Initial Study (IS)/Negative Declaration (ND). Although prepared with assistance from the consulting firm Dudek, the content contained within and the conclusions drawn by this IS/ND reflect the independent judgment of the City. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 2 OCTOBER 2024 1.3 Initial Study Checklist The following Environmental Checklist (i.e., IS) was prepared per CEQA Guidelines Sections 15063–15065. The CEQA Guidelines include a suggested checklist to indicate whether a project would have an adverse impact on the environment. The checklist is found in Section 3 of this document. Following the Environmental Checklist, Sections 3.1 through 3.21 include an explanation and discussion of each significance determination made in the checklist for the project. For this IS/ND, the following four possible responses to each individual environmental issue area are included in the checklist: Potentially Significant Impact Less-than-Significant Impact with Mitigation Incorporated Less-than-Significant Impact No Impact The checklist and accompanying explanation of checklist responses provide the information and analysis necessary to assess relative environmental impacts of the project. In doing so, the City will determine the extent of additional environmental review, if any, for the project. 14247.04 3 OCTOBER 2024 2 Project Description This project involves an amendment to the General Plan to adopt an update to the Safety Element and a new EJ Element (proposed project). The Safety Element of the General Plan is intended to identify, evaluate, and address local and regional safety issues, establishes goals, policies, and actions that will reduce loss of life, injuries, property loss or damage, environmental damage, and social and economic disruption from natural and human-caused disasters. The vision for the Safety Element includes minimizing exposure of residents to hazards and incorporating public safety considerations into the planning and decision-making processes. The intention of the EJ Element is to address potential health risks or safety risks of disadvantaged communities and seek to create healthy and safe communities for all, focusing on correcting disproportionate health impacts. 2.1 Safety Element Update Background The Safety Element is one of the General Plan elements required by State law. Government Code Sections 65302(g) and 65302(f) identify several issues to consider in such planning efforts, as does California Health and Safety Code Section 56050.1. Per Section 65302(g), the safety element must address the following hazards:  Seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure  Tsunami, seiche, and dam failure  Slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides  Subsidence  Liquefaction  Other seismic hazards identified pursuant to Chapter 7.8 (commencing with Section 2690) of Division 2 of the Public Resources Code, and other geologic hazards known to the legislative body  Flooding  Wildland and urban fires  Climate change In accordance with provision of Assembly Bill (AB) 2140, General Plans: Safety Element (Government Code 65302.6), a city may adopt with its safety element a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) which is specified in the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. Adopting the LHMP with the safety element provides an avenue for implementation of the LHMP. As of 2015, it is also now required by state law (Senate Bill [SB] 379 and Government Code Section 65302(g)(4)) that a local jurisdiction update the safety element to address climate adaptation and resiliency strategies. These updates are required to occur either upon the next revision of a LHMP on or after January 1, 2017, or if the jurisdiction does not have an adopted LHMP, beginning on or before January 1, 2022. The updates should include a climate change vulnerability assessment, and a set of goals, policies, and objectives that address resiliency, hazard mitigation and emergency response strategies. The proposed Safety Element update would adopt the LHMP by reference and would implemented in tandem with the LHMP to address hazards. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 4 OCTOBER 2024 Proposed Project The proposed project includes updates to Chapter 8: Safety Element of the Arcadia General Plan to include a Climate Change section. This section addresses the emergency events that are associated with climate change, including; extreme heat, flooding, and wildfire. The Climate Change section addresses vulnerabilities specific to climate change, including vulnerable populations and built environments. The proposed project also updates the Fire Hazards section to address water resources and recent wildfire events, the Emergency Services section to update existing conditions, and the Emergency Preparedness section to update critical and non-critical facilities and provide additional policies to address emergency and disaster response preparedness. The proposed project adds new policies and revises existing policies to address the climate change-related hazards that are identified and provide guidance for future actions of the City to mitigate these hazards. The new goals and policies are as follows: Policy S-1.1: Support policies and programs to incentivize/encourage improving resilience to local infrastructure networks vulnerable to increasingly extreme weather events. Policy S-1.2: Support policies and programs to engage with residents, including non-English speaking communities, making them aware of the risks of extreme events and providing information on ways to preserve health. Policy S-1.3: Explore potential grants, programs, and partnerships to reduce cost burdens related to households addressing changing hazards Policy S-2.1: Maintain a healthy urban forest to reduce extreme heat. Policy S-2.2: Adopt policies and standards for the built environment that reduce the urban heat island effect. Policy S-3.1: Review the performance of culverts and other flood-related infrastructure in recent debris flow events to determine a list of potential improvements required for hazard mitigation. Policy S-3.2: Continue to provide alert/emergency notification processes and provide public information and awareness materials for those who live in debris flow hazard areas, as determined by fire risk, slope, and past debris flow events. Policy S-4.7: Periodically conduct and evaluate Emergency Operations Center exercises to ensure readiness for earthquakes and/or seismic related events. Policy S-4.8: Ensure access and egress routes are planned appropriately to and from identified hazard areas relative to the type of development in these areas. Policy S-5.5: Ensure that developments located within the County’s Flood Hazard Zones are located and designed to avoid isolation from essential services and facilities in the event of flooding. Policy S-6.8: Require redevelopment located in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone to comply with the most current version of the California Building Codes and California Fire Code. Encourage post-fire CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 5 OCTOBER 2024 redevelopments located outside of a Fire Hazard Severity Zone to comply with the most current version of the California Building Codes and California Fire Code. Policy S-6.9: Reduce the impacts of wildfire by meeting minimum State Fire Safe regulations for fire- resistant building materials, vegetation management, fire-adapted landscaping, fuel modification, and other fire hazard reduction programs. Policy S-6.10: Ensure long-term maintenance of all fire hazard reduction projects, including community fire breaks and private road and public road clearance. Policy S-6.11: Maintain water supply and infrastructure to meet the water needs of the Arcadia Fire Department. Policy S-9.7: Create resilience centers throughout Arcadia to ensure frontline communities are equipped to respond, recover, and rebuild after a hazard event. Policy S-9.8: Support policies that promote education and resilience awareness about the effects of climate change- induced hazards and ways to adapt and build resiliency to climate change. Policy S-9.9: Coordinate with other County and public agencies, such as transportation agencies and health care providers, on emergency planning, response activities, evacuation planning, and recovery resources. Focus recovery resources toward the most vulnerable households and populations (e.g. elderly individuals, individuals with disabilities, etc.). Policy S-9.10: Ensure that essential public facilities are maintained during disasters. Policy S-9.11: Pursue development impact fees to set aside funding for solutions to address future needs related to emergency response time in the City. This would ensure adequate fire protection for new developments and may include staffing, station coverage, apparatus, equipment, and infrastructure such as a preemption system integrated with City traffic lights Additional clarifications and revisions are also made to a handful of goals and policies for clarity and consistency with the new policies. The Safety Element Update is available at the City website https://www.arcadiaca.gov/generalplan and is incorporated by reference hereafter. 2.2 Environmental Justice Element Background Through the passage of Senate Bill 1000, local governments across California are required to assess if any disadvantaged communities exist within their boundaries. If there is a disadvantaged community identified, environmental justice must be added as a component of the general plan. Per California Government Code Section 65302(h), this environmental justice component must include policies to reduce the “unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities,” “promote civic engagement in the public decision- CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 6 OCTOBER 2024 making process,” and “prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities.” An assessment of Arcadia determined there is a census tract identified as a disadvantaged community on the southeastern tip of Arcadia. However, this census tract is largely outside of Arcadia, and where inside Arcadia consists solely of Industrial and Public/Institutional zoned lots. It does, however, include non- conforming residential uses. Therefore, this element focuses on citywide needs to best promote the long-term environmental justice concerns. There are also two low-income Census Tracts in Arcadia (see Figure EJ-2, Low Income Communities). These Census Tracts were not determined to have unique or compounded health risks as determined by HPI. As a result of the limited residential presence in Arcadia’s only disadvantaged community, the City has primarily taken a citywide approach to addressing environmental justice concerns. The Environmental Justice Element evaluates environmental justice-related topics throughout Arcadia and includes a policy matrix based on these findings and input gathered from community members. Proposed Project The Environmental Justice Element contains a summary of the existing conditions related to six main subjects, as follows; Active and Public Transportation, Climate Change, Healthy Food, Parks and Public Facilities, Pollution, and Safe and Sanitary Housing. The existing conditions are followed by the goals and policies set forth by the Environmental Justice Element, which the intent to provide the vision and steps to work towards a more equitable Arcadia. The proposed additional goals and policies are as follows: Goal EJ-1: A community where walking and biking is safe and enjoyable Policy EJ-1.1: Work with community members to identify high-priority streets and intersections for improvements to sidewalks, bike lanes, and other bike and pedestrian infrastructure via the City’s capital improvement program. Policy EJ-1.2: Seek a State and Federal grant opportunities for active transportation corridors, including the California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program. Policy EJ-1.3: Create and maintain a network of Cool Streets with increased tree canopy, reflective pavements, and other interventions to mitigate extreme heat and reduce the heat island effect, prioritizing transit corridors and routes to school. Policy EJ-1.4: Seek to provide a variety of parks and facilities are provided which cater to a diverse population. Policy EJ-1.5: Mitigate noise and air pollution impacts to parks and public facilities adjacent to freeways, major roads, and rail corridors with protective fencing, landscaping, and/or walls. Goal EJ-2: A community with reduced transportation-related air pollution. Policy EJ-2.1: Continue to update truck route maps that minimize exposure to sensitive land uses. Goal EJ-3: A community where everyone has a high-quality, affordable home. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 7 OCTOBER 2024 Policy EJ-3.1: Promote home weatherization and in-home/portable air conditioning units to better insulate homes and mitigate the effects of extreme heat in residences. Policy EJ-3.2: Continue to explore temporary housing options for individuals experiencing homelessness in Arcadia, as well as grant funding opportunities for constructing and managing them. Goal EJ-4: A community where public health is enhanced and heat-related illnesses and fatalities are reduced. Policy EJ-4.1: Expand the number of cooling amenities in parks and other public spaces such as trees, water refill stations, and water features for children to play in. Policy EJ-4.2: Expand cooling center amenities as necessary and increase awareness of cooling centers through public education materials and events. Policy EJ-4.3: Educate residents about personal emergency preparedness and the emergency resources that the City provides to them. The Environmental Justice Element is available at the City website https://www.arcadiaca.gov/generalplan and is incorporated by reference hereafter. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 8 OCTOBER 2024 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 14247.04 9 OCTOBER 2024 3 Initial Study Checklist 1. Project title: City of Arcadia General Plan Amendment: Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element 2. Lead agency name and address: City of Arcadia Development Services Department Planning Division 240 W. Huntington Drive P.O. Box 60021 Arcadia, California 91066 3. Contact person and phone number: Fiona Graham, Planning Manager 240 West Huntington Dr. Arcadia California 91066 626.574.5442 4. Project location: Citywide. 5. Project sponsor’s name and address: City of Arcadia Development Services Department Planning Division 240 W. Huntington Drive P.O. Box 60021 Arcadia, California 91066 6. General plan designation: Various; Not Applicable for Adoption of Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element. 7. Zoning: Various; Not Applicable for Adoption of Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 10 OCTOBER 2024 8. Description of project. (Describe the whole action involved, including but not limited to later phases of the project, and any secondary, support, or off-site features necessary for its implementation. Attach additional sheets if necessary): The proposed General Plan Amendment (GPA) would amend the City of Arcadia General Plan with updates to the Safety Element and a new Environmental Justice Element. 9. Surrounding land uses and setting (Briefly describe the project’s surroundings): The City of Arcadia is located in central Los Angeles County, at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. The majority of the City is built-out, dominated with residential uses. Recreational, industrial, and commercial uses are also scattered throughout the City. The surrounding land uses are predominantly urban and suburban. The City is bordered by the City of Monrovia to the east and northeast, the Angeles National Forest and the City of Sierra Madre to the north, the City of Pasadena to the northwest, unincorporated Los Angeles County to the west, Temple City to the southwest, and unincorporated County to the southeast. 10. Other public agencies whose approval is required (e.g., permits, financing approval, or participation agreement): There are no other public agencies whose approval is required (e.g., permits, financing approval, or participation agreement) for the proposed Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element. 11. Have California Native American tribes traditionally and culturally affiliated with the project area requested consultation pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21080.3.1? If so, is there a plan for consultation that includes, for example, the determination of significance of impacts to tribal cultural resources, procedures regarding confidentiality, etc.? The project is subject to compliance with Assembly Bill (AB) 52California Native American tribal representatives. All California Native American tribal representatives (that have requested notification) who are traditionally or culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project were sent letters from the City on November 9, 2023. No tribal representatives responded or requested consultation regarding the project. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 11 OCTOBER 2024 Environmental Factors Potentially Affected The environmental factors checked below would be potentially affected by this project, involving at least one impact that is a “Potentially Significant Impact,” as indicated by the checklist on the following pages. Aesthetics Agriculture and Forestry Resources Air Quality Biological Resources Cultural Resources Energy Geology and Soils Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hazards and Hazardous Materials Hydrology and Water Quality Land Use and Planning Mineral Resources Noise Population and Housing Public Services Recreation Transportation Tribal Cultural Resources Utilities and Service Systems Wildfire Mandatory Findings of Significance CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 12 OCTOBER 2024 Determination (To be completed by the Lead Agency) On the basis of this initial evaluation: I find that the proposed project COULD NOT have a significant effect on the environment, and a NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, there will not be a significant effect in this case because revisions in the project have been made by or agreed to by the project proponent. A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION will be prepared. I find that the proposed project MAY have a significant effect on the environment, and an ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required. I find that the proposed project MAY have a “potentially significant impact” or “potentially significant unless mitigated” impact on the environment, but at least one effect (1) has been adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to applicable legal standards, and (2) has been addressed by mitigation measures based on the earlier analysis as described on attached sheets. An ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT is required, but it must analyze only the effects that remain to be addressed. I find that although the proposed project could have a significant effect on the environment, because all potentially significant effects (a) have been analyzed adequately in an earlier ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT or NEGATIVE DECLARATION pursuant to applicable standards, and (b) have been avoided or mitigated pursuant to that earlier ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT or NEGATIVE DECLARATION, including revisions or mitigation measures that are imposed upon the proposed project, nothing further is required. Signature 10/23/2024 Date CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 13 OCTOBER 2024 Evaluation of Environmental Impacts A brief explanation is required for all answers except “No Impact” answers that are adequately supported by the information sources a lead agency cites in the parentheses following each question. A “No Impact” answer is adequately supported if the referenced information sources show that the impact simply does not apply to projects like the one involved (e.g., the project falls outside a fault rupture zone). A “No Impact” answer should be explained where it is based on project-specific factors as well as general standards (e.g., the project will not expose sensitive receptors to pollutants, based on a project-specific screening analysis). All answers must take account of the whole action involved, including off-site as well as on-site, cumulative as well as project-level, indirect as well as direct, and construction as well as operational impacts. Once the lead agency has determined that a particular physical impact may occur, then the checklist answers must indicate whether the impact is potentially significant, less than significant with mitigation, or less than significant. “Potentially Significant Impact” is appropriate if there is substantial evidence that an effect may be significant. If there are one or more “Potentially Significant Impact” entries when the determination is made, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required. “Negative Declaration: Less Than Significant With Mitigation Incorporated” applies where the incorporation of mitigation measures has reduced an effect from “Potentially Significant Impact” to a “Less Than Significant Impact.” The lead agency must describe the mitigation measures, and briefly explain how they reduce the effect to a less than significant level (mitigation measures from “Earlier Analyses,” as described in (5) below, may be cross-referenced). Earlier analyses may be used where, pursuant to the tiering, program EIR, or other CEQA process, an effect has been adequately analyzed in an earlier EIR or negative declaration. Section 15063(c)(3)(D). In this case, a brief discussion should identify the following: a. Earlier Analysis Used. Identify and state where they are available for review. b. Impacts Adequately Addressed. Identify which effects from the above checklist were within the scope of and adequately analyzed in an earlier document pursuant to applicable legal standards, and state whether such effects were addressed by mitigation measures based on the earlier analysis. c. Mitigation Measures. For effects that are “Less Than Significant With Mitigation Measures Incorporated,” describe the mitigation measures which were incorporated or refined from the earlier document and the extent to which they address site-specific conditions for the project. Lead agencies are encouraged to incorporate into the checklist references to information sources for potential impacts (e.g., general plans, zoning ordinances). Reference to a previously prepared or outside document should, where appropriate, include a reference to the page or pages where the statement is substantiated. Supporting Information Sources: A source list should be attached, and other sources used or individuals contacted should be cited in the discussion. This is only a suggested form, and lead agencies are free to use different formats; however, lead agencies should normally address the questions from this checklist that are relevant to a project’s environmental effects in whatever format is selected. The explanation of each issue should identify: a. The significance criteria or threshold, if any, used to evaluate each question; and b. The mitigation measure identified, if any, to reduce the impact to less than significance CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 14 OCTOBER 2024 3.1 Aesthetics Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact I. AESTHETICS – Except as provided in Public Resources Code Section 21099, would the project: a) Have a substantial adverse effect on a scenic vista? b) Substantially damage scenic resources including, but not limited to, trees, rock outcroppings, and historic buildings within a state scenic highway? c) In non-urbanized areas, substantially degrade the existing visual character or quality of public views of the site and its surroundings? (Public views are those that are experienced from publicly accessible vantage point). If the project is in an urbanized area, would the project conflict with applicable zoning and other regulations governing scenic quality? d) Create a new source of substantial light or glare which would adversely affect day or nighttime views in the area? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–d: No Impact. The Safety Element update includes updated existing conditions information to provide an accurate account of the conditions within the City, as well as updated goals and policies related to natural and human-caused hazards. These goal and policy updates are procedural and will not result in physical changes to the environment such that aesthetics or visual character would change. The goals and policies also provide a framework for future actions the City intends to implement to continue provided adequate public safety. Further, the proposed Environmental Justice Element contains goals and policies that would be adopted and enacted by the City to strive towards a more equitable City, by reducing negative effects on citizens, as well as expand opportunities and access to more citizens. The goals and policies provide guidelines and parameters for future development, and for the City’s consideration and approval of future development projects. These proposed actions do not include physical development or land use changes that would have a substantial adverse effect on aesthetics resources. Rather, they provide guidelines and requirements that future City or applicant development would be required to comply with. As such, no aesthetic impacts would occur from the adoption of this policy document. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 15 OCTOBER 2024 3.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact II. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY RESOURCES – In determining whether impacts to agricultural resources are significant environmental effects, lead agencies may refer to the California Agricultural Land Evaluation and Site Assessment Model (1997) prepared by the California Department of Conservation as an optional model to use in assessing impacts on agriculture and farmland. In determining whether impacts to forest resources, including timberland, are significant environmental effects, lead agencies may refer to information compiled by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection regarding the state’s inventory of forest land, including the Forest and Range Assessment Project and the Forest Legacy Assessment project; and forest carbon measurement methodology provided in Forest Protocols adopted by the California Air Resources Board. Would the project: a) Convert Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance (Farmland), as shown on the maps prepared pursuant to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the California Resources Agency, to non- agricultural use? b) Conflict with existing zoning for agricultural use, or a Williamson Act contract? c) Conflict with existing zoning for, or cause rezoning of, forest land (as defined in Public Resources Code section 12220(g)), timberland (as defined by Public Resources Code section 4526), or timberland zoned Timberland Production (as defined by Government Code section 51104(g))? d) Result in the loss of forest land or conversion of forest land to non-forest use? e) Involve other changes in the existing environment which, due to their location or nature, could result in conversion of Farmland, to non-agricultural use or conversion of forest land to non-forest use? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–e: No Impact. According to the Department of Conservation California Important Farmland Finder, the City consists entirely of Urban Built Up Land (DOC 2022). The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element do not propose any policies or actions that would result in negative impacts to agricultural and forestry resources, as there is no land within the City that is designated as Prime Farmland, Unique Farmland, or Farmland of Statewide Importance. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 16 OCTOBER 2024 Therefore, updates to the Safety Element and the Environmental Justice Element would have no impacts upon agricultural and forestry resources. 3.3 Air Quality Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact III. AIR QUALITY – Where available, the significance criteria established by the applicable air quality management district or air pollution control district may be relied upon to make the following determinations. Would the project: a) Conflict with or obstruct implementation of the applicable air quality plan? b) Result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is non-attainment under an applicable federal or state ambient air quality standard? c) Expose sensitive receptors to substantial pollutant concentrations? d) Result in other emissions (such as those leading to odors) adversely affecting a substantial number of people? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–c: Less Than Significant Impact. d: No Impact. The City lies within the South Coast Air Basin (SCAB), and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is the regional government agency that monitors and regulates air pollution within the SCAB and is responsible for measuring the air quality of the region. The SCAB is designated as a nonattainment area for federal and state O3 standards and federal and state PM2.5 standards. The SCAB is designated as a nonattainment area for state PM10 standards; however, it is designated as an attainment area for federal PM10 standards. The SCAB is designated as an attainment area for federal and state CO standards, federal and state NO2 standards, and federal and state SO2 standards. While the SCAB has been designated as nonattainment for the federal rolling 3-month average lead standard, it is designated attainment for the state lead standard. The updates to the General Plan would not conflict with or obstruct implementation of the State Implementation Plan by the SCAQMD because the proposed new goals and policies would not induce growth of the population of the City. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would not violate any air quality standard or contribute substantially to an existing or projected air quality violation, nor would they result in a cumulatively considerable net increase of any criteria pollutant for which the project region is in nonattainment under an applicable federal or State ambient air quality standard, because the goals and policies would not propose specific development projects that may result in air emissions. Additionally, with the adoption of the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element, goals and policies are included therein to protect residents from exposure to pollutant concentrations. Policy 3.6 CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 17 OCTOBER 2024 would mitigate noise and air pollution impacts to parks and public facilities adjacent to freeways and major roads, and Policy 4.6 requires the City to continue to update truck route maps that minimize exposure to sensitive land uses. Lastly, because the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element do not affect land uses that are typically associated with the creation of objectionable odors (such as rendering plants, landfills, treatment plants, etc.), its adoption would have no impact from odors. Based on the above, the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would have a less than significant impact on air quality. 3.4 Biological Resources Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact IV. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES – Would the project: a) Have a substantial adverse effect, either directly or through habitat modifications, on any species identified as a candidate, sensitive, or special status species in local or regional plans, policies, or regulations, or by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? b) Have a substantial adverse effect on any riparian habitat or other sensitive natural community identified in local or regional plans, policies, regulations, or by the California Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? c) Have a substantial adverse effect on state or federally protected wetlands (including, but not limited to, marsh, vernal pool, coastal, etc.) through direct removal, filling, hydrological interruption, or other means? d) Interfere substantially with the movement of any native resident or migratory fish or wildlife species or with established native resident or migratory wildlife corridors, or impede the use of native wildlife nursery sites? e) Conflict with any local policies or ordinances protecting biological resources, such as a tree preservation policy or ordinance? CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 18 OCTOBER 2024 Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact f) Conflict with the provisions of an adopted Habitat Conservation Plan, Natural Community Conservation Plan, or other approved local, regional, or state habitat conservation plan? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–f: Less than Significant Impact. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element contain a framework of policies but would not result in land use changes or physical development as a result of adoption. The goals and policies are related to City programs and the continued provision of public services and facilities, all within urbanized areas where little or no native vegetation exists and where little potential exists for the occurrence of sensitive species habitat, riparian habitat, a sensitive natural community, federally protected wetlands, or wildlife corridors or nursery sites. In the event that any biological resources, habitat or trees would be affected, proper mitigation would be implemented, on a project-by-project basis. Therefore, Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would not, in itself, produce environmental impacts to biological resources. 3.5 Cultural Resources Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact V. CULTURAL RESOURCES – Would the project: a) Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource pursuant to §15064.5? b) Cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of an archaeological resource pursuant to §15064.5? c) Disturb any human remains, including those interred outside of dedicated cemeteries? CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 19 OCTOBER 2024 Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–c: Less than Significant Impact. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents that establish the City’s goals, policies and actions related to risk and hazards associated with climate change, and the expansion of resources for a more equitable City for all citizens. These proposed goals and polices would be implemented City- wide, and would not have the potential to affect any particular site or location. However, certain policies may indirectly result in development of a facility or project in the future, particularly Policy 5.6. However, all future project development would require project-level environmental assessment which would include assessment of potential existence of cultural resources, and analysis and mitigation of possible environmental impacts. Further, all future projects would be required to comply with General Plan policies and Municipal Code regulations related to cultural resources. The proposed goals and policies would not conflict with the implementation of the existing policy framework. Therefore, its adoption would not, in itself, result in land use changes or physical development that would disturb cultural resources, and produce environmental impacts. Therefore, impacts are less than significant. 3.6 Energy Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact VI. Energy – Would the project: a) Result in potentially significant environmental impact due to wasteful, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy resources, during project construction or operation? b) Conflict with or obstruct a state or local plan for renewable energy or energy efficiency? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–b. No Impact. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents that establish the City’s goals, policies and actions related to risk and hazards associated with climate change, and the expansion of resources for a more equitable City for all citizens. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element does not propose any policies or actions that would result in impacts to energy. However, future development would be required to adhere to all state and/or local plans for renewable energy or energy efficiency. As such, the proposed project would result in less than significant impacts associated with energy. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 20 OCTOBER 2024 3.7 Geology and Soils Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact VII. GEOLOGY AND SOILS – Would the project: a) Directly or indirectly cause potential substantial adverse effects, including the risk of loss, injury, or death involving: i) Rupture of a known earthquake fault, as delineated on the most recent Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Map issued by the State Geologist for the area or based on other substantial evidence of a known fault? Refer to Division of Mines and Geology Special Publication 42. ii) Strong seismic ground shaking? iii) Seismic-related ground failure, including liquefaction? iv) Landslides? b) Result in substantial soil erosion or the loss of topsoil? c) Be located on a geologic unit or soil that is unstable, or that would become unstable as a result of the project, and potentially result in on- or off-site landslide, lateral spreading, subsidence, liquefaction or collapse? d) Be located on expansive soil, as defined in Table 18-1-B of the Uniform Building Code (1994), creating substantial direct or indirect risks to life or property? e) Have soils incapable of adequately supporting the use of septic tanks or alternative waste water disposal systems where sewers are not available for the disposal of waste water? f) Directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–f: Less than Significant Impact. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 21 OCTOBER 2024 Areas with seismic (earthquake) hazards are identified by earthquake fault zones as established by the Alquist- Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act of 1972. The California Geological Survey (CGS; formerly the California Division of Mines and Geology [CDMG]) classifies faults as active, potentially active, or inactive according to standards developed for implementation of the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone Act. A fault that has exhibited surface displacement within the Holocene Epoch (the last 11,000 years) is defined as active. A fault that has exhibited surface displacement during Quaternary time (i.e., within the past 1.6 million years) but that cannot be proven to have moved or not moved during Holocene time is defined as potentially active. a) According to the City’s existing Safety Element, located along the southern slope of the San Gabriel Mountains, Arcadia is situated within a very seismically active area of Southern California. There are currently five documented faults, fault zones, or groundwater barriers that may be faults that underlie Arcadia. In addition to these local faults, another 20 faults have been identified within a 35-mile radius of City Hall. Earthquake activity at any of the faults in and around the City could result in ground shaking within the City limits. Further, ground shaking could cause landslides or liquefaction in certain areas within the foothills that are present in the City. The existing Safety Element contains several goals and policies to alleviate risk related to earthquakes and better project the City’s residents from seismic hazards. The proposed new Safety Element policies as well as the proposed edits and revisions to the element would be consistent and would not interfere with the implementation of policies meant to reduce earthquake risk. Additionally, the potential for significant adverse impacts to result from these phenomena would be substantially reduced through adherence to requirements specified in the Alquist–Priolo Act, the Uniform Building Code, Title 24 of the California Building Code, and all development regulations of the City. Compliance with these building standards would minimize impacts associated with seismic hazards. b–e: Most lowland areas with relatively level ground surface are not prone to landslides. Other forms of slope instability are also unlikely to occur except along stream banks and terrace margins. The foothill areas are more susceptible to slope instability. The strong ground motion that occurs during earthquakes is capable of inducing landslides and debris flow (mudslides). These types of failure generally occur where unstable slope conditions already exist. The City has in place geologic review procedures to address these hazards. Hillside areas with landslide potential are of particular concern, and slope stability requires appropriate treatment of vegetative cover during and after residential development. The City's General Plan and zoning Code contain policy and regulation to minimize potential impacts from developing on geologically hazardous land or resulting in substantial soil erosion. City regulations and policies cover landslides, seismic shaking, surface rupture, seiches, liquefaction, subsidence, expansive soils, and soil erosion. All new development is required to be consistent with these regulations. f: Depending on the location, future development in the City has the potential to directly or indirectly destroy a unique paleontological resource or site or unique geologic feature. The existing General Plan contains policies for the protection of paleontological resources, and all new development must be consistent with these policies. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would not change or alter these policies. Based on the above, the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element would result in less than significant impacts associated with geology and soils. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 22 OCTOBER 2024 3.8 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact VIII. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS – Would the project: a) Generate greenhouse gas emissions, either directly or indirectly, that may have a significant impact on the environment? b) Conflict with an applicable plan, policy or regulation adopted for the purpose of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–b: Less Than Significant Impact. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are the result of burning fossil fuels, most commonly from vehicles and other gas-powered equipment. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element contain goals and policies meant to guide the City’s land use decisions and future development within the City. Although the adoption of the document would not result in any physical development, the policies seek to expand pedestrian- and bicycle- oriented facilities, which would reduce new vehicle trips in exchange for pedestrian and bicycle resulting in a reduction of GHG emissions. Further, any future new development projects associated with the new policies, such as affordable housing units, would be required to comply with the Green Building Code, which also reduces GHG emissions. 3.9 Hazards and Hazardous Materials Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact IX. HAZARDS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS – Would the project: a) Create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through the routine transport, use, or disposal of hazardous materials? b) Create a significant hazard to the public or the environment through reasonably foreseeable upset and accident conditions involving the release of hazardous materials into the environment? CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 23 OCTOBER 2024 Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact c) Emit hazardous emissions or handle hazardous or acutely hazardous materials, substances, or waste within one-quarter mile of an existing or proposed school? d) Be located on a site that is included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5 and, as a result, would it create a significant hazard to the public or the environment? e) For a project located within an airport land use plan or, where such a plan has not been adopted, within two miles of a public airport or public use airport, would the project result in a safety hazard or excessive noise for people residing or working in the project area? f) Impair implementation of or physically interfere with an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan? g) Expose people or structures, either directly or indirectly, to a significant risk of loss, injury or death involving wildland fires? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–c and e–g: No Impact. d: Less Than Significant Impact. As defined in Chapter 6.95 of Division 20 of the California Health and Safety Code, Section 25501(o), a hazardous material is “…any material that, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical or chemical characteristics, poses a significant present or potential hazard to human health and safety or to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment. Hazardous materials include, but are not limited to, hazardous substances, hazardous waste, and any material which a handler or the administering agency has a reasonable basis for believing that it would be injurious to the health and safety of persons or harmful to the environment if released into the workplace or the environment.” a–c: The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents, and therefore, adoption would not, in itself, result in potential impacts from hazards and hazardous material that may endanger residents or the environment. Implementation of the goals and policies would also not result in the routine use, transport, or disposal of hazardous materials or generate significant quantities of hazardous materials. Implementation of Policy 5.1 which states the City would adopt an inclusionary housing ordinance, and Policy 5.5, which states the City would continue to explore a Tiny Homes project, could indirectly result in development of CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 24 OCTOBER 2024 additional housing units in the future. However, these policies are guidelines for City action, they would not guarantee any future development. All future development would be subject to project-level environmental analysis, and would be subject to local, state, and federal regulations related to handling hazards and hazardous materials. Further, the existing Safety Element includes goals and policies specifically designed to reduce impacts from human-caused hazards to City residents and the environment. As such, no negative impacts would occur. d: The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents and adoption will not, in itself, result in negative environmental impacts. Implementation of the policies could indirectly result in development in the future; however, the proposed policies would not change land use designations or zoning, or result in new land uses that are not already existing. All sites of future development would be evaluated using appropriate databases including the California Department of Toxic Substances Control EnviroStor database which, pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5, lists Federal Superfund, State Response, Voluntary Cleanup, School Cleanup, Hazardous Waste Permit, and Hazardous Waste Corrective Action sites. The potential impacts related to any listed hazardous materials sites associated with any specific future development would be assessed at the time the projects are actually proposed. As such, the Housing Element and Public Health, Safety, and Environmental Justice Element Updates would result in less than significant impacts. e–g: There are no public or private airports in the City of Arcadia. The airport nearest the City is the El Monte Airport. The City does not fall within the safety hazard overlay zone for the El Monte Airport. Future development in the southern section of the City could extend into navigable airspace of the El Monte Airport, and would be required to comply with Federal Aviation Regulations Part 77 and all other applicable local regulations. The proposed goal and policy updates would not result directly in physical development and would not result in incompatible land uses. Therefore, impacts would be less than significant. Based on the above, the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element would result in no negative impact on hazards or hazardous materials. 3.10 Hydrology and Water Quality Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact X. HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY – Would the project: a) Violate any water quality standards or waste discharge requirements or otherwise substantially degrade surface or ground water quality? b) Substantially decrease groundwater supplies or interfere substantially with groundwater recharge such that the project may impede sustainable groundwater management of the basin? CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 25 OCTOBER 2024 Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact c) Substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, including through the alteration of the course of a stream or river or through the addition of impervious surfaces, in a manner which would: i) result in substantial erosion or siltation on or off site; ii) substantially increase the rate or amount of surface runoff in a manner which would result in flooding on or off site; iii) create or contribute runoff water which would exceed the capacity of existing or planned stormwater drainage systems or provide substantial additional sources of polluted runoff; or iv) impede or redirect flood flows? d) In flood hazard, tsunami, or seiche zones, risk release of pollutants due to project inundation? e) Conflict with or obstruct implementation of a water quality control plan or sustainable groundwater management plan? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a, c–d: Less than Significant Impact. b and e: No Impact. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents, specifically related to risks associated with climate change and environmental justice issues. Therefore, adoption of these updates would not, in itself, result in physical development that would produce negative environmental impacts. Certain proposed policies, such as Policy 5.6 could result in development of projects in the future. Future residential development are expected to be located on infill sites in urbanized areas and the City has procedures and regulations in place to ensure that there would be no significant impacts associated with hydrology and water quality. a: Construction of future development projects would be subject to compliance with applicable local, regional, state and federal regulations designed to protect water resources, including those regulations requiring implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs), preparation of Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs), and submittal of Erosion Control Plans in compliance with National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) provisions. Consistency with this regulatory framework would adequately ensure that such impacts would be CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 26 OCTOBER 2024 avoided or reduced to less than significant. As such, the proposed policies would not generate a significant impact on water quality over current projections for population and housing units. b: Adoption of the General Plan Amendment for the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element would not affect the City’s ability to implement the water goals outlined within the Resources Element of the General Plan as no physical development is current proposed. Potential future development could involve impervious surfaces, which prevent the absorption of water into the groundwater basin. However, other future development could include parks, which would include pervious surfaces which would encourage groundwater recharge. Implementation of the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element would not deplete groundwater supplies. c–d: There are no areas in the City that lie within a 100-year floodplain. However, storm flooding and flooding due to dam inundation related to the Santa Anita Dam do present potential risk to the City. The existing Safety Element addresses risk associated with flooding. Seiche and mudflow risk would also be negligible, as the City is not located near a large contained body of water or downslope from an unstable hillside. With regard to tsunami risk the City is not located in an area with high risk due to its elevation and distance from the ocean (Arcadia 2010). The proposed policies would not conflict with the existing policy framework established in the Safety Element to mitigate flood risk. e: The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents that establish the City’s goals, policies and actions related to climate change related hazards expanding equitable resources within the City. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element does not propose any policies or actions that would result in negative impacts related to hydrology and water quality, and would not propose goals and policies that would conflict with the policy framework established to manage the water system and reduce impacts to water quality. Based on the above, Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element would have a less than significant impact on hydrology and water quality. 3.11 Land Use and Planning Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XI. LAND USE AND PLANNING – Would the project: a) Physically divide an established community? b) Cause a significant environmental impact due to a conflict with any land use plan, policy, or regulation adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect? CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 27 OCTOBER 2024 Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a: No Impact. b: Less than Significant. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents that establish the City’s goals, policies and actions related to the climate change related risks and the expansion of equitable resources across the City. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element do not propose any policies or actions that would result in physically dividing an existing community. Additionally, the Public Health, Safety, and Environmental Justice Element Update would not conflict with General Plan policy or Municipal Code regulations, adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect. The intended purpose of the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element is to guide land use decisions in such a way that climate change related risks and environmental justice concerns are avoided to the maximum extent feasible, especially in disadvantaged areas. Therefore, the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would have a less than significant impact on land use and planning. 3.12 Mineral Resources Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XII. MINERAL RESOURCES – Would the project: a) Result in the loss of availability of a known mineral resource that would be of value to the region and the residents of the state? b) Result in the loss of availability of a locally- important mineral resource recovery site delineated on a local general plan, specific plan, or other land use plan? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–b: No Impact. The City has identified Mineral Resource Zones (MRZs, Categories 1–3) as defined by the State Mining and Geology Board (Arcadia 2010). Of the areas designated as a MRZ, one area contains the Livingston-Graham sand and gravel extraction site. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element does not contain any goals or policies that would prevent the extraction of mineral resources in the future. Further, the proposed goals and policies would not conflict with existing policies in the Resource Sustainability Element of the General Plan meant to protect mineral resources. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element do not propose any polices that would result in the loss of mineral resources; therefore, there would be no impact associated with adoption of the Element. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 28 OCTOBER 2024 3.13 Noise Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XIII. NOISE – Would the project result in: a) Generation of a substantial temporary or permanent increase in ambient noise levels in the vicinity of the project in excess of standards established in the local general plan or noise ordinance, or applicable standards of other agencies? b) Generation of excessive groundborne vibration or groundborne noise levels? c) For a project located within the vicinity of a private airstrip or an airport land use plan or, where such a plan has not been adopted, within two miles of a public airport or public use airport, would the project expose people residing or working in the project area to excessive noise levels? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–b: Less Than Significant Impact. c: No Impact. Noise varies with time, geographic location, proximity to the source, and duration of the noise event. The effects of noise are considered in several ways: how a proposed project may increase existing noise levels and how those noise levels would affect surrounding land uses. Certain land uses are considered more sensitive to ambient noise levels than others, due to the amount of noise exposure and the types of activities involved. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents, and therefore, adoption would not, in itself, result in potential impacts related to elevated noise levels that would affect residents or the environment. Implementation of the goals and policies would also not result in land uses that would create conflicts of uses due to ambient noise. Implementation of Policy 5.6, which states the City would continue to explore a Tiny Homes project, could indirectly result in development of additional housing units in the future. However, these policies are guidelines for City action, they would not guarantee any future development. All future development would be subject to project-level environmental analysis, and would be subject to the policies of the Noise Element, and requirements and regulations of the Municipal Code related to allowable ambient noise levels, and noise mitigation. The proposed goals and policies would not conflict with the compliance if future projects to the existing regulatory framework. As such, no negative impacts would occur. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 29 OCTOBER 2024 3.14 Population and Housing Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XIV. POPULATION AND HOUSING – Would the project: a) Induce substantial unplanned population growth in an area, either directly (for example, by proposing new homes and businesses) or indirectly (for example, through extension of roads or other infrastructure)? b) Displace substantial numbers of existing people or housing, necessitating the construction of replacement housing elsewhere? a–b: Less Than Significant Impact. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element are policy documents that establish the City’s goals, policies and actions related to mitigating risk related to climate change, and continued and expanded distribution of equitable resources across the City. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element do not propose any policies that would induce growth or population of the City, or displace people or housing. The proposed policies, especially the policies related to environmental justice issues associated with housing, would reduce potential impacts to citizens related to the provision of housing and other services in the City. As such, the proposed goals and policies would not result in impacts related to population and housing. 3.15 Public Services Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XV. PUBLIC SERVICES a) Would the project result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times, or other performance objectives for any of the public services: Fire protection? Police protection? Schools? Parks? Other public facilities? CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 30 OCTOBER 2024 Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a(i–v): Less Than Significant Impact. The Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element are policy documents, and therefore, adoption would not, in itself, result in physical development nor in land use changes that would create conflicts of land uses. The proposed policies would not induce population growth which would result in an increased demand on public services. All future development would be subject to project-level environmental analysis, and would be subject to the policies of the Land Use Element, and the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Element, as well as requirements and regulations of the Municipal Code related to park facilities or other public service facilities, and noise mitigation. The proposed goals and policies would not conflict with the compliance if future projects to the existing regulatory framework. Therefore, the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element do not propose any policies or actions that would result in substantial adverse physical impacts associated with the provision of new or physically altered governmental facilities, need for new or physically altered governmental facilities, the construction of which could cause significant environmental impacts, in order to maintain acceptable service ratios, response times, or other performance objectives for any of the public services. 3.16 Recreation Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XVI. RECREATION a) Would the project increase the use of existing neighborhood and regional parks or other recreational facilities such that substantial physical deterioration of the facility would occur or be accelerated? b) Does the project include recreational facilities or require the construction or expansion of recreational facilities which might have an adverse physical effect on the environment? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a-b: Less Than Significant Impact. The proposed new Environmental Justice Element addresses mitigating air and noise pollution at new or existing parks, however does not include any new goals and policies that would result in the development of specific recreational facilities or the construction or expansion of recreational facilities that might have an adverse physical effect on the environment. Goals and policies would help shape the type of future recreation-related facilities. Proposed goals and policies would not induce growth in the City that could result in increased demand on existing recreational facilities. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 31 OCTOBER 2024 Based on the above, the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element would have a less than significant impact on recreational facilities. 3.17 Transportation Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XVII. TRANSPORTATION – Would the project: a) Conflict with a program, plan, ordinance, or policy addressing the circulation system, including transit, roadway, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities? b) Conflict or be inconsistent with CEQA Guidelines section 15064.3, subdivision (b)? c) Substantially increase hazards due to a geometric design feature (e.g., sharp curves or dangerous intersections) or incompatible uses (e.g., farm equipment)? d) Result in inadequate emergency access? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–d: Less Than Significant Impact. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element are policy documents that establish the City’s goals, policies and actions related to mitigating risk related to climate change, and continued and expanded distribution of equitable resources across the City. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element do not propose any policies that would induce growth of population or jobs within the City, which would as a result have the potential to impact transportation systems. The proposed goals and policies would not result directly in physical development, but would shape the planning and implementation of development in the City. Specifically, proposed Environmental Justice policies focus on the provision of accessible and safe pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Future development associated with implementation of the proposed goals and policies would be expected to generate fewer vehicle miles traveled and more multi-modal trips than conventional development. Potential traffic impacts related to increased transportation system demands associated with specific future residential projects would be assessed at the time the projects are proposed using the vehicle miles traveled (VMT) methodology, consistent with state guidelines. Mitigation measures would then be adopted as necessary, in conformance with CEQA. The proposed goals and policies would not increase hazards due to a design feature, result in inadequate emergency access, or conflict with adopted policies, plans, or programs supporting alternative transportation. Based on the above, the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would result in a less than significant impact on transportation/traffic. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 32 OCTOBER 2024 3.18 Tribal Cultural Resources Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XVIII. TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES Would the project cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a tribal cultural resource, defined in Public Resources Code section 21074 as either a site, feature, place, cultural landscape that is geographically defined in terms of the size and scope of the landscape, sacred place, or object with cultural value to a California Native American tribe, and that is: a) Listed or eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources, or in a local register of historical resources as defined in Public Resources Code section 5020.1(k), or b) A resource determined by the lead agency, in its discretion and supported by substantial evidence, to be significant pursuant to criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Public Resources Code Section 5024.1. In applying the criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Public Resource Code Section 5024.1, the lead agency shall consider the significance of the resource to a California Native American tribe? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–b: Less Than Significant Impact. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element are policy documents, no actual physical development are proposed as part of the project. Therefore, its adoption would not, in itself, produce environmental impacts. Further, the implementation would not change or alter policies established to protect tribal cultural resources. The City completed the tribal consultation process, consistent with the requirements of Senate Bill 18 and Assembly Bill 52. All California Native American tribal representatives (that have requested notification) who are traditionally or culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project were sent letters from the City on November 9, 2023. No tribal representatives responded or requested consultation regarding the project. Based on the outcome of the notification process, the Safety Element Update and the Environmental Justice Element would result in less than significant impacts to tribal cultural resources. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 33 OCTOBER 2024 3.19 Utilities and Service Systems Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XIX. UTILITIES AND SERVICE SYSTEMS – Would the project: a) Require or result in the relocation or construction of new or expanded water, wastewater treatment, or storm water drainage, electric power, natural gas, or telecommunications facilities, the construction or relocation of which could cause significant environmental effects? b) Have sufficient water supplies available to serve the project and reasonably foreseeable future development during normal, dry, and multiple dry years? c) Result in a determination by the wastewater treatment provider, which serves or may serve the project that it has adequate capacity to serve the project’s projected demand in addition to the provider’s existing commitments? d) Generate solid waste in excess of State or local standards, or in excess of the capacity of local infrastructure, or otherwise impair the attainment of solid waste reduction goals? e) Comply with federal, state, and local management and reduction statutes and regulations related to solid waste? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–c and e: No Impact; d: Less than Significant Impact. Generally, increased demand on utilities and service systems would occur as a result of increased density, development, or induced growth. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element are policy documents, consisting of goals and policies and no physical development would occur as part of implementation of the project. Further, none of the proposed goals and policies would result in indirect growth, increased development, or density. Therefore, its adoption would not, in itself, result in impacts to the provision of utilities and service systems. The proposed goals and policies would not conflict with other policies or regulations related to the provision of utilities and service systems. As such, the impact would be less than significant. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 34 OCTOBER 2024 3.20 Wildfire Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XX. WILDFIRE – If located in or near state responsibility areas or lands classified as very high fire hazard severity zones, would the project: a) Substantially impair an adopted emergency response plan or emergency evacuation plan? b) Due to slope, prevailing winds, and other factors, exacerbate wildfire risks, and thereby expose project occupants to, pollutant concentrations from a wildfire or the uncontrolled spread of a wildfire? c) Require the installation or maintenance of associated infrastructure (such as roads, fuel breaks, emergency water sources, power lines, or other utilities) that may exacerbate fire risk or that may result in temporary or ongoing impacts to the environment? d) Expose people or structures to significant risks, including downslope or downstream flooding or landslides, as a result of runoff, post-fire slope instability, or drainage changes? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–d: Less Than Significant Impact. The Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element are policy documents, related to mitigating risk associated with climate change, and continued and expanded distribution of equitable resources across the City. The Safety Element Update includes additional discussion of climate-change related wildfire and urban fire risks, and proposed new policies intended to mitigate potential risk. Specifically, the following policies are related to wildfire and would implementation of these policies would reduce impacts related to wildfire events. Policy S-6.5: Prohibit new subdivisions in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones unless the new subdivision is generally surrounded by existing built or entitled development or is located in an existing approved specific plan and meets secondary egress route requirements and the level of capacity of adjoining major highways and street networks can accommodate evacuation. Discourage new subdivisions in all other Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Policy S-6.8: Encourage rebuilds and additions to comply with fire mitigation guidelines. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 35 OCTOBER 2024 Policy S-6.9: Reduce the risk of wildfire hazards by meeting minimum State regulations for fire-resistant building materials, vegetation management, fire smart landscaping, fuel modification, and other fire hazard reduction programs. Policy S-6.10: Ensure long-term maintenance of all fire hazard reduction projects, including community fire breaks and private road and public road clearance. Because these policies would reduce risk and potential impacts related to wildfire events, the implementation of the proposed goals and policies would result in less than significant impacts related to wildfire. 3.21 Mandatory Findings of Significance Potentially Significant Impact Less Than Significant Impact With Mitigation Incorporated Less Than Significant Impact No Impact XXI. MANDATORY FINDINGS OF SIGNIFICANCE a) Does the project have the potential to substantially degrade the quality of the environment, substantially reduce the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, substantially reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory? b) Does the project have impacts that are individually limited, but cumulatively considerable? (“Cumulatively considerable” means that the incremental effects of a project are considerable when viewed in connection with the effects of past projects, the effects of other current projects, and the effects of probable future projects)? c) Does the project have environmental effects which will cause substantial adverse effects on human beings, either directly or indirectly? Explanation of Checklist Judgements: a–c: Less Than Significant Impact. As discussed throughout the above portions of the Initial Study/Negative Declaration, the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element are policy documents and adoption of these updates alone would not produce CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 36 OCTOBER 2024 environmental impacts. Although implementation of the proposed goals and policies could indirectly result in development of public facilities or other projects in the future, implementation of the General Plan Amendment to adopt the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would not permit or allow specific development projects. The proposed goals and policies would guide the vision and requirements of future development in the City. Therefore, the adoption of the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would not have the potential to result in environmental impacts, either limited or cumulative, affecting habitat; plant or animal communities; rare, endangered or threatened species; historic resources; or human beings. As discussed in Sections 3.1 through 3.20 of this Initial Study/Negative Declaration, impacts associated with the adoption of the Safety Element Update and Environmental Justice Element would either result in no negative impacts, or less than significant impacts. 14247.04 37 OCTOBER 2024 4 References and Preparers 4.1 Initial Study/Negative Declaration References Cited City of Arcadia. 2010. Arcadia General Plan. November 2010. https://www.arcadiaca.gov/shape/ development_services_department/planning___zoning/general_plan.php#outer-446. Accessed January 2024. California Department of Conservation (DOC). 2022. California Important Farmland Finder. Available at https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/DLRP/CIFF/. Accessed January 2024. CITY OF ARCADIA GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT: SAFETY ELEMENT UPDATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT / INITIAL STUDY/NEGATIVE DECLARATION 14247.04 38 OCTOBER 2024 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK