REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Approve Introduction of Ordinance Amending Chapter 2.140 ("Disaster Council") of the City Code
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
On April 13, 1971, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 1241 amending Sections 2-90, 2-98, 2-22 and Chapter 9 ("Disasters") of "The Code of the City of Santa Clara, California" (SCCC), to define emergencies, emergency organization and plans, and identify Disaster Council membership, powers, and duties, as well as a legal framework which established how the City would operate during a disaster or emergency.
Prior to 1971, there had been several updates and revisions to the Disaster Council Ordinance on a multiyear interval. Since 1971, no updates to the City's Disaster Council Ordinance have been made. However, since 1971, there have been several major statewide and national catastrophic disasters which have precipitated the creation of several statewide and national laws, systems, frameworks, funding mechanisms and best practices for the incident management enterprise. There have also been a number of largescale and high visibility disasters and events at the regional and local level. Additionally, the emergence of the emergency management discipline and career field with its certifications, qualifications, credentials, and guiding principles, best practices and academic foundations has continued to mature. As a result, an update and revision to the City's Disaster Council Ordinance has been evidenced as much needed.
DISCUSSION
The proposed ordinance includes revisions to remove language that is unnecessarily reflective of civil defense era processes and procedures, to update language, processes, and procedures, as well as policies to reflect common, modern best practices, current statewide and national mandates, laws and systems, and to establish the Office of Emergency Management. In addition, the proposed ordinance ...
Click here for full text