BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
505 (Kehoe)
Hearing Date: 05/28/2009 Amended: 04/21/2009
Amendments Pending
Consultant: Brendan McCarthy Policy Vote: EQ 5-2
SB 505 (Kehoe)
Page 2
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 505 requires local governments to include
additional information relating to fire risk in safety elements
of their General Plans. The bill requires CalFire to review
proposed safety elements and provide comments to local
governments. The bill requires local governments to consult with
CalFire under CEQA for specified projects.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Fund
Office of Planning and $20 General
Research guideline
development
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STAFF COMMENTS: Suspense file. As proposed to be amended.
Under current law, cities and counties are required to adopt
General Plans which include several elements, including a safety
element. Counties in state responsibility areas (areas where
CalFire provides wildland fire protection) and cities and
counties that cover areas of high fire hazard severity zones
must update the safety element of the General Plan every five
years, on a staggered schedule, beginning in 2011.
Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), lead
agencies must consult with responsible and trustee agencies (as
defined in law) when reviewing projects or other activities that
may have environmental impacts.
The Office of Planning and Research develops both advisory
guidelines for General Plan updates and CEQA guidelines, which
have the force of regulation.
This bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection (CalFire) to review safety element updates and
provide comments to local governments on the fire-related
portions of the safety element update. CalFire estimates that
the cost to review and provide comments would be about $2.7
million per year. Staff notes that these costs seem relatively
SB 505 (Kehoe)
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high, given that safety element updates are staggered in time.
The bill would require that a lead agency, under CEQA, consult
with CalFire for projects in state responsibility areas or very
high hazard severity zones. CalFire estimates that such
consultation will cost about $450,000 per year.
In addition, CalFire states that it will be required to update
its vegetation maps in order to adequately review safety
elements and consult on CEQA issues.
The bill also requires the Office of Planning and Research to
update advice letters and guidelines with respect to General
Plan updates and CEQA guidelines, at a cost of about $20,000.
As proposed to be amended by the author, the bill would require
local governments to review the safety element of a general plan
before 2015 and in conjunction with housing element updates
thereafter. CalFire would not be required to review safety
elements and would not be required to review CEQA documents.