Introduction

State Planning law (Government Code § 65302 (g)) requires the Safety Element of a General Plan provide "for the protection of the community from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, slope instability leading to mud slides and landslides, liquefaction, and other seismic and geologic hazards known to the legislative body, flooding, and wildland and urban fires." In addition, the General Plan Guidelines state that the aim of the Safety Element is to “reduce the potential risk of death, injuries, property damage, and economic and social dislocation resulting from fires, floods, earthquakes, landslides and other hazards.”

This Element outlines goals, policies and implementation measures designed to reduce the risk from locally significant natural hazards to an acceptable level. Successful implementation of this Element should reduce the loss of life, injuries, major damage to property, and the economic and social dislocation which may result from public safety hazards. Maps of known natural hazard areas are included in the Master Environmental Assessment (MEA) and the General Plan map at https://monomammoth.maps.arcgis.com/home/.

Relationship to Other Elements and Plans

Issues and policies presented in this Element are closely linked to the Land Use, Conservation and Open Space, and Circulation elements of the Mono County General Plan

This Element outlines goals, policies and action items designed to reduce the risk from locally significant hazards to an acceptable level. A number of other planning documents also address hazards in the county. A complete list of those documents is included in the Safety section of the Mono County Master Environmental Assessment.

Mono County Master Environmental Assessment (MEA)

The MEA contains background information on hazards in the county including maps of known hazard areas are included in the MEA.

Mono County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP)

The Mono County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) is a multi-jurisdictional hazard plan that addresses the unincorporated areas of Mono County as well as the Town of Mammoth Lakes, the county's only incorporated area. It also considers areas outside the county that either may impact areas within the county; e.g., Rock Creek Lake in Inyo County, or that are accessed from the county; e.g., Reds Meadow in Madera County. The LHMP is a planning document intended to identify hazards and provide mitigation so impacts to people and property from identified hazards can be minimized.

Fire Plans

The Mono County California Community Wildfire Protection Plan outlines fire hazards in Mono County, analyzes existing local preparedness and firefighting capabilities, and contains suggested solutions to address identified hazards. In addition, local fire protection districts in some cases have fire protection planning documents.

Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)

The Mono County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) addresses specific emergency procedures for a variety of events, including natural hazard events, terrorism, airplane crashes, bioterrorism, etc. The Town of Mammoth Lakes also has an Emergency Operations Plan.

Mono County Land Development Regulations

The Mono County Land Development Regulations in the Land Use Element contain regulations that specifically address flood and fire hazards; i.e., Chapter 21, Floodplain Regulations, and Chapter 22, Fire Safe Regulations.

Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans

The Airport Land Use Compatibility Plans for the County airports address safety issues at Bryant Field in Bridgeport and at Lee Vining Airport. Mammoth Yosemite Airport, which is owned and operated by the Town of Mammoth Lakes, also has an Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan. Those plans focus primarily on safety issues related to land use in the area surrounding the airports.

Federal Agency Documents

The majority of the land in Mono County is public land. The various state and federal agencies responsible for the management of those lands have land management plans and specific hazard management plans such as fire safety plans that address hazard prevention on public lands. In addition, federal agencies responsible for certain hazards, such as the US Geological Survey, have documents that focus on specific hazards in the county such as volcanic hazards.