City of Seal Beach Safety Element Safety Element Contents Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Background...................................................................................................................................1 Statutory Requirements......................................................................................................................................1 Topic 1: Emergency Planning/Response ................................................................................................................3 Household Emergency Planning......................................................................................................................7 Neighborhood Emergency Planning ...............................................................................................................8 Community Emergency Planning ....................................................................................................................9 Access Issues .....................................................................................................................................................13 Underground Conversion of Overhead Utilities .........................................................................................18 Policies................................................................................................................................................................18 Topic 2: Hazardous Materials ..................................................................................................................................22 Policies................................................................................................................................................................27 Topic 3: Geologic Hazards.......................................................................................................................................30 Seismic Hazards Mapping Act........................................................................................................................30 Geology ..............................................................................................................................................................30 Faulting and Seismicity.....................................................................................................................................33 Geologic Hazards..............................................................................................................................................45 Landslides...........................................................................................................................................................51 Tsunamis and Seiches.......................................................................................................................................53 Policies................................................................................................................................................................54 Topic 4: Fire Hazards................................................................................................................................................57 Orange County Fire Authority .......................................................................................................................57 Fire Hazard Severity Classification System...................................................................................................57 Wildland Fire Hazard Potential ......................................................................................................................59 Topography........................................................................................................................................................59 Vegetation ..........................................................................................................................................................59 Climate................................................................................................................................................................60 Development Patterns .....................................................................................................................................61 Access .................................................................................................................................................................61 Fire Fighting Capabilities.................................................................................................................................62 Local Programs and Legislation .....................................................................................................................63 Building Codes and Landscaping Guidelines...............................................................................................63 Planning and Maintenance of Outdoor Areas Adjacent to Homes..........................................................64 Planting and Fire-wise Plant Choices ............................................................................................................65 Weed Abatement...............................................................................................................................................66 Water System .....................................................................................................................................................66 Policies................................................................................................................................................................67 Topic 5: Flood Hazards ............................................................................................................................................68 Local Setting ......................................................................................................................................................70 Flood Protection Measures .............................................................................................................................71 Water Quality Control......................................................................................................................................75 Policies................................................................................................................................................................76 Topic 6: Shoreline Protection ..................................................................................................................................78 The Effects of Man ..........................................................................................................................................79 Local Conditions...............................................................................................................................................81 Policies................................................................................................................................................................83 Implementation..........................................................................................................................................................84 City of Seal Beach General Plan S-i (12/03) Safety Element List of Figures Figure S-1 - Los Alamitos Impact Zones, Joint Forces Training Base ............................................................. 5 Figure S-2 - AELUP Height Restriction Zone for JFTB.................................................................................... 9 Figure S-3 - Impaired Road Access Map .............................................................................................................14 Figure S-4 - Regional Seismic Map .......................................................................................................................33 Figure S-5 - Fault Zone Map .................................................................................................................................39 Figure S-6 - Seismic Hazards/Liquefaction Zones ............................................................................................51 Figure S-7 - FEMA Flood Zones..........................................................................................................................73 City of Seal Beach General Plan S-ii (12/03) Introduction Purpose and Background The Seismic Safety - Safety Element was originally adopted on July 14, 1975. As the result of subsequent changes in the re- quirements regarding General Plan Elements, the City decided on August 11, 1997 to rename this Element (i.e., “Safety Ele- ment”) and to expand its scope to cover storm drainage, shore- line protection, and the use, transport, and disposal of hazardous materials. The Safety Element is organized into six topics and an imple- mentation chapter. Following the introduction, Topics 1 through 6 discuss separate safety issues as they relate to the City of Seal Beach. Following the discussion in each topic are poli- cies to deal with the identified issues. The Implementation sec- tion of the Element indicates which City Department has primary responsibility for implementing each policy, how it will be funded, and the scheduled timing for implementation.