The State of California mandates that cities update the Safety Element and Open Space/Conservation/Recreation (OSCR) Element of their General Plans following Housing Element updates.

Safety Element 

The Safety Element evaluates the City’s exposure and vulnerability to a range of natural and human-made hazards, including earthquakes, flooding, liquefaction, and fires. The update will address new requirements from recently adopted state law, including:

AB 2684: Requires the Safety Element to assess and plan for extreme heat impacts.

AB 747: Requires the Safety Element to evaluate evacuation routes for safety, feasibility, and capacity under a range of natural hazard scenarios.

Open Space/Conservation/Recreation (OSCR) Element

The OSCR Element focuses on issues such as park distribution and access, conservation practices, and climate resilience. The update will address recent State legislation, including:

• SB 1425: Requires the OSCR Element to incorporate policies that enhance climate resilience, expand equitable park access, and strengthen wildlife habitat connectivity.
• AB 1889: Requires the OSCR Element to identify and analyze existing and future wildlife habitat connections to promote biodiversity. 

Community Engagement Survey 

The City of Cypress conducted a community survey between March 2 and April 6, 2026, to gather public input on topics addressed by the General Plan update. The survey asked participants about park and open space access, conservation priorities, climate resilience, water conservation, emergency preparedness, evacuation, and hazard-related concerns. The City received 379 responses, with more than three-quarters of respondents reporting that they have lived in Cypress for over 10 years, reflecting strong participation from long-term residents with extensive knowledge of the community.

Key takeaways from the survey include:

• Nearly 80 percent of respondents reported using City parks, trails, or recreational facilities at least monthly.
• Nearly seven in ten respondents indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with the availability of parks and open spaces in Cypress.
• Nearly eight in ten respondents reported being within a 10-minute walk of a park, indicating generally strong neighborhood access to parks and open space.
• More than three-quarters of respondents expressed support for protecting biological resources, including special-status species, critical habitat, and wetlands.
• Increasing tree canopy throughout the City for shade and cooling was the top climate resilience priority identified by respondents.
• More than three-quarters of respondents supported creating pollinator corridors, with the strongest interest in native flowering plants and trees, butterfly gardens, and community gardens with pollinator-friendly plants.
• Respondents strongly supported water conservation strategies such as increased recycled water use, drought-tolerant and native landscaping, and stormwater capture to recharge groundwater.