A city (or county) is not an accident but the result of coherent visions and aims

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Intent of Analysis
Recommended Data
Identify noise sensitive land uses within high impact noise areas
Map of noise contours, land use designations
Plan for potential construction noise in residential areas
Map of planned development areas
OPR Recommended Policies
These policies are an example of recommended policies adopted by varying jurisdictions, to be modified and used as 
appropriate. A full list of recommended policies can be found 
here
.
Sample Policy
Example of Application
Relationship to Other Elements
[City/county] shall avoid placing noise sensitive land uses 
(e.g. residential, hospitals, assisted living facilities, group 
homes, schools, day care centers, etc.) within the high 
noise impact areas (over 65 dB CNEL) for (designated 
airports) in accordance with the (city/county) Airport 
Land Use Compatibility Plan
City of Riverside
Land use, circulation, healthy communities
[City/county] shall orient buildings such that the noise 
sensitive portions of a project are shielded from noise 
sources.
City of San Diego
Land use, circulation, housing, healthy communities
[City/county] shall require new development to include 
noise mitigation to assure acceptable interior noise levels 
appropriate to the land use type: 45 dBA Ldn for residen-
tial, transient lodgings, hospitals, nursing homes and other 
uses where people normally sleep; and 45 dBA L eq (peak 
hour) for office buildings and similar uses.
City of Sacramento
Land use, housing, healthy communities
[City/county] shall protect schools, hospitals, libraries, 
churches, convalescent homes, and other noise sensitive 
uses from excessive noise levels by incorporating site 
planning and project design techniques to minimize noise 
impacts. The use of noise barriers shall be considered af-
ter all practical design-related noise measures have been 
integrated into the project. In cases where sound walls are 
necessary, they should help create an attractive setting 
with features such as setbacks, changes in alignment, 
detail and texture, murals, pedestrian access (if appropri-
ate), and landscaping
City of Murrieta
Land use, equitable and resilient communities, healthy 
communities
[City/county] shall integrate noise considerations into 
land use planning decisions to prevent new noise/land 
use conflicts.
City of Murrieta
Land use

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Safety Element 
Introduction
The goal of the safety element is to reduce the potential short and long-term risk of death, injuries, property damage, and 
economic and social dislocation resulting from fires, floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides, climate change, and other 
hazards. Other locally relevant safety issues, such as airport land use, emergency response, hazardous materials spills, and crime 
reduction, may also be included. Some local jurisdictions have chosen to incorporate their hazardous waste management plans 
into their safety elements.
The safety element directly relates to topics also mandated in the (1) land use, (2) conservation, (3) environmental justice 
and (4) open-space elements, as development plans must adequately account for public safety considerations and open space 
for public health and ecological benefits often incorporate areas of increased hazard risk. The safety element must identify 
hazards and hazard abatement provisions to guide local decisions related to zoning, subdivisions, and entitlement permits. The 
safety element should also contain general hazard and risk reduction strategies complementary with those of the 
Local Hazard 
Mitigation Plan (LHMP)
. Ideally, the LHMP will be incorporated into the safety element as outlined below in accordance with 
provision of 
Assembly Bill 2140, General Plans: Safety Element (Hancock, 2006)(Gov. Code § 65302.6)
. 
The recent introduction of climate risk to the discussion of the safety element, adds a focus on longer term preparation of a 
community for a changing climate. Policies in a safety element should identify hazards and emergency response priorities, 
as well as mitigation through avoidance of hazards by new projects and reduction of risk in developed areas. As California 
confronts mounting 
climate change
 impacts, local governments are now required, in accordance with 
Senate Bill 379, Land 
Use: General Plan: Safety Element (Jackson, 2015)
 to include a climate change vulnerability assessment, measures to address 
vulnerabilities, and comprehensive hazard mitigation and emergency response strategy as explained further in this section  
(Gov. Code § 65302(g)(4)). Policies may include methods of minimizing risks, as well as ways to minimize economic 
Government Code 65302(g):
(g)  (1) A safety element for the protection of the community from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of 
seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, tsunami seiche, and dam failure; slope instability 
leading to mudslides and landslides; subsidence; liquefaction; and other seismic hazards identified pursuant to Chapter 
7.8 (commencing with Section 2690) of Division 2 of the Public Resources Code, and other geologic hazards known to the 
legislative body; flooding; and wildland and urban fires. The safety element shall include mapping of known seismic and 
other geologic hazards. It shall also address evacuation routes, military installations, peakload water supply requirements, 
and minimum road widths and clearances around structures, as those items relate to identified fire and geologic hazards.

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