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Home My WebLink AboutIV(b)_Additional Materials Received_WatkinsThank you for providing the agenda packet for the GPAC meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 6, 2025 in the Community Room. I have taken a look at the proposed Safety Element and have suggested a few handwritten changes along with a few handwritten comments on the attached version of that Element. If you, Amber, Arlene, and Jeremy choose to do so, please feel free to circulate the draft to Dudek, Staff, and the Committee members. I am not a member of the Safety Element Subcommittee (whose members have done a fine job on the draft), and the Subcommittee and the GPAC Committee may choose to ignore our comments. I am certainly A-OK with whatever the majority decides. As I understand the process going forward, we hope to have the Planning Commission and the Council approve the new General Plan including the Goals/Policies of each Element. At one time, I believe the GPAC Committee may have recommended that we downplay the use of the words "climate change", "greenhouse gases", and similar "hot button" terms. (Instead, it is my memory that we were going to focus on the idea of "resilience".) In order to stand the best chance of Commission/Council approval, perhaps it might be best to limit the number of "hot button" terms. At handwritten pages 25, 44, 52, and 53, I have suggested that we footnote some references to "greenhouse gas emissions" with supporting research and/or we revise/delete/soften the reference to controversial language such as "extreme heat driven by climate change", "high greenhouse gas emissions", "climate conditions", "heat waves or other extreme heat events", etc. The Federal government seems to be a little less focused on climate issues currently and, moreover, I think our Planning Commission and Council may be more receptive to the draft Safety Element if the use of controversial terms is minimized. From: Paul Watkins <paul@lawfriend.com> Sent: August 01, 2025 9:57 AM To: Zdeba, Benjamin <bzdeba@newportbeachca.gov> Cc: nancy gardner <ngardner636@gmail.com>; Greer, Arlene <arlenegreer@gmail.com>; Snider, Amber <ASnider@newportbeachca.gov>; Evans, Jeremy <JEvans@newportbeachca.gov> Subject: Suggestions/Comments Regarding Draft of Safety Element Hi Ben: General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element In addition and as I may have mentioned in prior GPAC meetings, I am somewhat concerned that the obligatory language of the Elements tends to handcuff the decision- makers (Staff, Planning Commission, and Council); accordingly, in some instances on the attached, we have suggested softening the language (e.g., at handwritten page 54, instead of a mandate to "Improve cooling centers with resilience improvements like battery backup power and amenities that promote a sense of community and socialization", perhaps say "Consider improving cooling centers with . . . .") while still providing guidance on particular issues. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thanks, Ben. All the best, Paul Paul K. Watkins for Paul K. Watkins, APC 6408 West Ocean Front Newport Beach, CA 92663-1929 and 485 East 17th Street, Suite 600 Costa Mesa, CA 92627-4705 Of Counsel: Self & Bhamre Cell: (714) 403-6408 E-Mail: paul@lawfriend.com General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element General Plan Advisory Committee - August 6, 2025 Item No. IV(b) - Additional Materials Received Draft Safety Element