The Safety Element Update in Phase 1 of the General Plan Update will develop overarching goals and policies to address fire and flood hazard management for critical facilities, non-conforming development to contemporary fire safe standards (e.g., road standards and vegetation hazards), emergency evacuation routes per SB99, emergency evacuation, climate adaptation, sea level rise, drought, and identify capital improvement programs to improve the City’s resilience to natural and human-caused hazards.
Oakland 2045 General Plan | Safety Element
The Safety Element is a required chapter of the General Plan and is a policy framework to guide the public decision-making process on addressing natural and human-caused hazards.
City Releases Safety Element Public Review Draft!
The City of Oakland is extremely pleased to announce the release of the Draft Safety Element for public review and feedback! The Safety Element Update provides a gameplan for addressing natural and human-caused disasters and improving our resilience to climate change impacts. The Draft Safety Element is accompanied by a Racial Equity Impact Analysis (REIA) that analyzes the Element to support the development of equitable policies that are concrete, data-driven, outcome-oriented, and problem-solving.
The Draft Safety Element was available for 90-day comment period between March 24, 2023, and June 22, 2023.
Oakland 2045 General Plan | Safety Element Public Review Draft
Oakland 2045 General Plan | Safety Element Public Review Draft - Chapters
Oakland 2045 General Plan | Safety Element Vulnerability Assessment
Oakland 2045 General Plan | Racial Equity Impact Analysis for EJ and Safety Elements
Oakland 2045 General Plan | Public Comment Letters on Environmental Justice and Safety Elements
Oakland's Safety Element
Safety Element Factsheets
Multi-lingual translation for factsheets coming soon.
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan is updated every five years and identifies potential hazards that the City of Oakland is most vulnerable to, assesses risks to the city’s residents, buildings and critical facilities, and develops a mitigation strategy to reduce the risk of exposure and allow a swift and organized recovery should a disaster occur. The current 2021-2026 LHMP has been incorporated as an appendix to the current Safety Element.
Project Documents
- Current Safety Element
- Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP)
Safety Element Video
Check out our new Safety Element video, featuring local community leaders!
Spotlighting Community Voices on Safety
As part of the Safety Element Update, we're showcasing a few community perspectives on climate resilience and hazards preparedness from local leaders and community members. The opinions expressed within these videos are solely those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of the City of Oakland or its staff.
- Jessica Feil, Manager, Oakland Fire - Emergency Management Services
https://youtu.be/I6bBTSNes3I - Kenneth Benson, President, Oakland Firesafe Council
https://youtu.be/Rh-YZgQYC6I - Timothy Zenor-Davis, Senior Program Coordinator, Roots Community Health Center
https://youtu.be/Rd6f5K2BB3s
Past Events
| Date | Meeting | Information / Resources |
|---|---|---|
6/30/22 |
Safety Element Focus Group Discussion 1 |
|
7/8/22 |
Safety Element Focus Group Discussion 2 |
|
10/19/22 |
Safety Element Focus Group Discussion 3 |
See all upcoming and past General Plan Meetings here.
Safety Element Timeline
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March 2023 - Public Review Draft Released
90-day public review period begins
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April-June 2023 - Community Engagement
Focused public engagement on Safety Element through in-person events, Town Halls, and pop-ups, as well as through public meetings including study sessions by Planning Commission and City Council committees
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July-August 2023 - Incorporate Public Feedback
Incorporate public feedback on the Safety Element; California Board of Forestry review and approval
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September 2023 - Adoption Hearings
Public hearings on the adoption of the Safety Element