The Costa Mesa City Council on Tuesday introduced for first reading an ordinance adopting local responsibility area (LRA) fire hazard severity maps transmitted by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), and directed staff to mail notices to properties identified in the new high and moderate zones.

The measure, introduced as required by state law, responds to updated Cal Fire modeling that classifies small areas along Fairview and Talbert canyons as high or moderate hazard. The council voted 7-0 to introduce the ordinance and to authorize targeted outreach to affected property owners, including a mailed notice describing current implications and voluntary home-hardening resources.

City staff said the Cal Fire maps identify a small high-hazard pocket south of Fairview Park that currently affects 40 parcels containing 292 structures, including one school and one place of worship, and a separate moderate area near Talbert that affects about 249 parcels and 401 structures. Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshal John Neal told the council the hazard designation is based on physical conditions and does not itself impose building-code changes for these zones today: "The hazard is based on the physical conditions that... create expected fire behavior over a 50 year period without considering short term modifications," Neal said during the presentation.

Why it matters: State mapping can trigger homeowner disclosures and future code changes. Neal and other staff emphasized two near-term practical effects: (1) beginning July 1, 2025, sellers of property in a high or high-adjacent zone must provide natural hazard real estate disclosure notices that describe voluntary home-hardening retrofits; and (2) Cal Fire and the state fire marshal are continuing work on building-code and defensible-space rules that could affect higher-severity areas in future code cycles. For Costa Mesa, staff said no defensible-space inspections by the fire department will be required under the ordinance today because the city's map does not include any "very high" zones; existing defensible-space requirements are tied to very high zones under California law.

Staff and council members also discussed vegetation management and outreach. Neal described the city's existing brush-clearance work along park perimeters: "We annually conduct proactive brush clearance in the areas of Fairview Park as well as Canyon Park," he said, adding that clearances target the park edges adjacent to homes and are preceded by biological surveys to avoid disturbing nesting wildlife.

Council members asked for clarity about coordination and mailings to property owners. Councilmember Andrea Marr said she wanted more detail about how and when brush management is performed around vernal pools and other sensitive habitats; staff said vegetation work is timed to avoid nesting seasons and that a biological consultant verifies when access is permissible. Councilmember Arlos Reynolds pressed staff to confirm whether affected owners would be contacted before the map is finalized; staff said direct mail and online resources are planned after the ordinance is adopted.

Public comment raised local concerns about fireworks and enforcement around the holiday. A caller who identified a Costa Mesa phone number asked whether the city would increase patrols in areas with higher fireworks use on July 4; staff did not commit to specific enforcement but noted the disclosure and outreach steps aimed to inform residents of risk-reduction measures.

What the council did: On a voice vote the council approved the introduction of the ordinance and added direction that staff send letters to all properties in the designated moderate and high zones notifying owners of the adoption and providing links to the city's informational web page and voluntary retrofit guidance. The motion passed 7-0.

Next steps: Staff said it will finalize the ordinance for a subsequent reading and adoption vote before the statutory 120-day deadline, run targeted mailings to affected parcels, continue community outreach including town-hall briefings, and track state code changes arising from the state fire marshal's July code adoption.

The city made a web-based GIS storyboard showing the mapped parcels and published it on the Costa Mesa Fire Department page for public review.