Natural hazard mitigation in Southern California

• Slope instability leading to mudslides, landslides

• Subsidence and other geologic hazards

• Flooding

• Wildland and urban fires

The objective of the safety element must be to protect the community from any ‘unreasonable’
risks associated with the various natural hazards (State of California 2004, section 65302g).
The term ‘unreasonable’, however, is not further defined. The safety element must address
evacuation routes, clearances around structures, and peak load water requirements.
Furthermore, hazard maps must be included for seismic and other geologic hazards. The
mandate suggests several optional items such as historical data, an inventarisation of buildings
and infrastructure that might collapse in case of a natural hazard event, the potential for dam
failure and many other ideas. These are all not obligatory (CERES 2004). Some elements show
some overlap; flooding for example has to be covered in the land use element, the safety
element, and the conservation element (State of California 2004).

Hazard disclosure

In California, anyone who sells his/her property has to notify potential buyers of natural hazard
risks that are involved with inhabiting the property if the property lies in (DRE 2004, Detwiller
1998):

• a special flood hazard area; or

• an area of potential flooding; or

• a designated very high fire hazard severity zone; or

• a wildland fire area; or

• an earthquake fault zone; or

• a seismic hazard zone.

Furthermore, potential buyers of property built before 1975 have to be notified if there are any
structural deficiencies to the building (DRE 2004). The hazard disclosure statement warns that
“these hazards may limit your ability to develop the real property, to obtain insurance, or to
receive assistance after a disaster” (Detwiller 1998) and thereby focuses on two key aspects of
FEMA policies by limiting developments in hazardous areas and by holding property buyers
responsible for the consequences of their choice to inhabit such an area.

21

<<   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   >>

More intriguing information