Council Pauses Some New Housing Plans in Eaton Fire Zone

The City Council on Monday approved an urgency ordinance prohibiting Senate Bill 9 housing applications in areas damaged by the Eaton Fire and designated as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.

The move follows Gov. Gavin Newsom’s July 30 executive order giving local governments discretion to suspend SB 9 development in the Palisades and Eaton Fire burn areas due to public safety concerns.

SB 9 requires cities to approve ministerial two-unit developments and lot splits in single-family zones, potentially creating up to four units on a single lot.

The Jan. 7 windstorms and fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures across Southern California, including significant losses in Pasadena’s Upper Hastings Ranch, Victory-Rose, Dundee Heights, and NATHA neighborhoods.

City staff warned that increased density under SB 9 could strain evacuation routes and worsen safety risks in fire-prone zones.

Approximately 185 single-family properties in the northernmost part of Upper Hastings Ranch fall within both the Eaton Fire boundary and a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.

If approved, the urgency ordinance would take effect immediately and last 45 days, with the option for extensions of up to 24 months. The City Council could later adopt a permanent ordinance.