Safety Element Update PLN25-0022; GPT25-0001; EIS25-0001

An update to the General Plan’s Safety Element (Chapter 10). The Safety Element addresses potential and existing hazards in the County, which are outlined in the following categories: Emergency Preparedness, Geological Hazards/Seismic Activity, Flood Hazards, Airport and Military Airspace Hazards, Hazardous Material and Mining Hazards, Public Safety Services and Facilities, Fire Hazards and Protection, and Severe Weather Hazards. Senate Bill 379 (approved in 2015) requires that the risks of climate change are identified in the Safety Element update, and Senate Bill 1000 (approved in 2016) requires that environmental justice policies and goals are integrated into elements of the General Plan. To comply with these requirements, two additional categories for Climate Change Resiliency and Mitigation, and Environmental Justice and Vulnerable Populations were added to the previous Safety Element with additional policies added under this amendment. Pursuant to the California Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), all California cities and counties shall revise the Safety component of the General Plan to meet the evacuation mandates set by SB 99 (2019) and AB 747 (2019). Collectively, these regulations require local government jurisdictions to include in their Safety plans both residential developments in all areas designated as a hazard area lacking a minimum of at least two emergency evacuation routes and the details of evacuation routes, including their capacity, security, and functionality for various emergency circumstances and events. This Safety Element update has taken into account both SB 99 (2019) and AB 747 (2019) by utilizing the information provided in the 2024 Nevada County Evacuation Study, which assisted with developing additional policies that address Safety plans both residential developments in all areas designated as a hazard area lacking a minimum of at least two emergency evacuation routes and the details of evacuation routes, including their capacity, security, and functionality for various emergency circumstances and events. Additionally, this Safety Element update has also taken into account AB 2238 (2022), establishes a statewide, health-based ranking system for extreme heat waves to improve public safety and emergency response. The 2025 Nevada County LHMP was utilized as a part of the amendment to address Extreme Heat and establish policies to address potential Extreme Heat events in Nevada County. Throughout the rest of the Safety Element there have been several other revisions, to include but not limited to: 1) updating the data, information and references with more current sources; 2) incorporating additional language to comply with new and/or amended California State Laws; 3) revising policies where progress has been made or where changes in situations have occurred; 4) breaking up the Hazardous Materials and Mining Hazards section into two (2) separate sections and providing additional new policies for both; and 5) incorporating the 2025 Nevada County LHMP. Among several sections that have been updated to include more relevant information, the draft Safety Element removed specific details and requirements that are in policies and regulations that can frequently change. By referencing these requirements instead of listing the specific details of the requirements, the Safety Element will maintain relevancy and can be utilized appropriately as a long-term policy guide. The update includes the incorporation of the LHMP and current information on hazards associated with wildfires, including emergency preparedness, evacuation planning, fire safety and protection, extreme heat, and fuels management. Specifically, there are several proposed revisions to the Public Safety Services and Facilities section to include more information regarding critical facilities in Nevada County, several proposed revisions/additions to the Fire Hazards and Protection section to include updated information on wildfire data and to provide additional policies, several proposed additions/revisions to the Severe Weather Hazards section and policies to account for extreme heat, and several proposed revisions/additions to the Emergency Preparedness section and policies. Finally, several additions/revisions to both the Environmental Justice and Vulnerable Populations and Climate Change Resiliency and Mitigation sections and policies. Project Title: PLN25-0022; GPT25-0001 ; EIS25-0001