PL11-011 Hazard Mitigation Plan
STAFF REPORT
Planning and Zoning Board, August 16, 2010
Hazard Mitigation Plan (PL11-011)
Conduct public hearing on update to Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Speaker: Ms. Mary Beerman
From: Jeffery G. Ulma, AICP, Planning Director
Prepared by: Mary W. Beerman, AICP, Senior Planner
Approved by: Benjamin T. Shivar, Town Manager
Approved by: Michael J. Bajorek, Assistant Town Manager
Executive Summary:
The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 applies to all US state, local and tribal governments and sets forth requirements emphasizing the need to closely coordinate mitigation planning and implementation efforts. Adoption of a Hazard Mitigation Plan that complies with specific state and federal guidelines is required in order to maintain eligibility for disaster assistance funds.
The Town of Cary is preparing a required 5-year update to its existing Hazard Mitigation Plan to ensure continued qualification for disaster assistance in case of future emergencies. The current Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Town of Cary was adopted in 2004 and will expire on October 16, 2010. This is the first of two public hearings, the second of which will be held at a Town Council meeting.
Background:
The Plan update was prepared by a project team made up of 13 representatives from various Town departments. Public input meetings were held on April 14 and May 26, 2010 to gain input from citizens. A draft Plan was prepared by the project team and submitted to North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) for review. NCEM approved the plan after ensuring that all checklist requirements were addressed. The Plan was then forwarded to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for review. FEMA review typically takes 45-60 days. Adoption by the Town can occur after the FEMA review is complete and the plan is deemed “approvable”.
What is Hazard Mitigation?
Hazard mitigation is one of four components of a comprehensive emergency management system as identified below:
1. Preparedness activities undertaken to improve a community’s ability to respond immediately after a disaster. Preparedness activities include the development of response procedures, design and installation of warning systems, exercises to test emergency operational procedures, and training of emergency personnel.
2. Response activities designed to meet the urgent needs of disaster victims. Response activities occur during the disaster and include rescue operations, evacuation, emergency medical care, and shelter programs.
3. Recovery activities designed to rebuild after a disaster. These activities include repairs to damaged public facilities such as roads and bridges, restoration of public services such as power and water, and other activities that help restore normal services to a community.
4. Hazard mitigation activities designed to reduce or eliminate damages from future hazardous events. These activities can occur before, during, and after a disaster and overlap all phases of emergency management
Overview of Required Content
An extensive checklist provided by North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires that the Plan address the items listed below.
Risk Assessment
• Identifying which of the following hazards pose a moderate or high level of risk to the community:
o coastal and riverine erosion
o dam and levee failures
o droughts and heat waves
o earthquakes
o floods
o hurricanes and coastal storms
o landslides and sinkholes
o severe thunderstorms and tornadoes
o tsunamis
o volcanoes
o wildfires
o winter storms and freezes
• Assessing vulnerability to each hazard
• Assessing the capability of the community to respond
Mitigation Strategy
• Identifying goals to be accomplished by the Plan
• Identifying specific action items to carry out during the Plan period
Documentation of Planning Processes
• Documenting the process used in preparing the Plan
• Monitoring, evaluating and updating the Plan
Hazard Mitigation Plan Action Items
The Hazard Mitigation Plan is implemented through its mitigation action items. The 2004 Plan contained about 40 mitigation action items. Many of these items pertain to plans, policies and practices that were already in place prior to specific federal requirements for hazard mitigation, as part of Cary’s commitment to protect people and property, and minimize costs associated with natural disasters. The mitigation action items contained in the existing Plan, and new mitigation action items to be added during the 2010-2015 plan period, are categorized by type and summarized below:
1. Mitigation Action Items in Current Plan
a) Prevention Measures to keep hazard problems from getting worse:
• Continue control of development in flood hazard areas
• Continue participation in the National Flood Insurance Program
• Continue implementation and update of various Town plans and ordinances
o Comprehensive Plan
o Land Use Plan
o Southwest Area Plan
o Northwest Area Plan
o Open Space Plan
o Transportation Plan
o Land Development Ordinance
o Building Code
• Maintain water supply through conservation, storage and interconnection with other public water systems
b) Natural Resource Protection to preserve or restore natural areas and their mitigative functions:
• Continue local Sedimentation Erosion Control Program
• Continue requirements for stormwater best management practices
• Continue requirements for timbering plans and forestry practices
• Continue requirements for wetland protection
c) Emergency Services Measures to minimize impact on people and property (These actions are usually taken immediately prior to or during an event):
• Provide and enhance technical rescue capability
• Provide urban search and rescue
• Utilize visual warning barricades
• Continue critical-security-post coverage during disasters
• Provide back-up power at critical utility facilities and fire stations
• Provide after-action report of emergency response
• Provide police counseling and critical-incident stress debriefing
• Maintain and utilize existing plans and programs including
o Water Emergency Response Plan
o Emergency Mutual Aid Water Supply Program
o Water Conservation Policy and Programs
o Standard Operational Guidelines for weather emergencies
o Disaster Tabletop Exercise Program
d) Structural Projects to modify the environment to minimize impact:
• Replacement of two bridges over tributaries of Swift Creek in MacGregor Downs (Completed in 2004).
e) Public information Activities to advise citizens of techniques they can use to protect themselves and their property:
• Assist citizens with drainage concerns
• Provide citizens with flood zone information
• Provide environmental information on Web site
• Maintain stormwater hotline
• Provide education programs at environmental education centers (e.g., Hemlock Bluffs)
• Provide flood maps
• Provide water conservation education at certain Town-sponsored events
2. New Mitigation Action Items Proposed
a) Preventive Measures
• Implement Chatham-Cary Joint Land Use Plan (if adopted)
• Restrict use of combustible landscape materials (completed)
• Conduct detailed study of risk for structures in floodplain
b) Natural Resource Protection
• Prepare Stormwater Management Plan
c) Emergency Services Measures
• Create Web-based tool to provide real-time and historic data for emergency response and planning
d) Structural Projects
• Replace Culverts on:
o Holloway Street
o Willow Street
o Woodland Drive
e) Public Information Activities
• Provide public outreach to owners of dams and downstream property owners
• Create Web-based tool to provide users with information about the risks of natural hazards for specific areas
• Regularly review and improve means of communicating and sharing information with citizens by utilizing emerging technologies where appropriate and cost effective.
Key Changes to Existing Plan
The key changes in the revised plan can be summarized as follows:
• Update of risk assessment data and information;
• Indication of how action items were addressed in previous plan period; and
• Addition of new action items to demonstrate continued improvement in hazard mitigation.
View the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan
Tentative Schedule
|
April 14, and May 24, 2010 |
Public information meetings |
|
June 9, 2010 |
Draft Plan approved by NCEM and forwarded to FEMA for review (The estimated time for completion of the review by FEMA is approximately 45 to 60 days. The Town Council may take action after the plan is deemed "approvable" by FEMA). |
|
July 12, 2010 |
Planning & Zoning Board Work Session |
|
August 16, 2010 |
Planning & Zoning Board Public Hearing and Recommendation: |
|
August /Septembe 2010 |
Approval by FEMA |
|
Prior to Oct. 16, 2010 |
Town Council Public Hearing/Approval |
|
Annual |
Update and Report to Planning & Zoning Board and Town Council |
|
2015 |
Next Major Update |
Fiscal Impact:
Most of the mitigation action items can be addressed through maintenance of existing programs and activities in departmental budgets. New mitigation action items can be accomplished during the 2010-2015 plan period as budgeting permits.
Failure to adopt the Hazard Mitigation Plan will result in ineligibility to receive federal and state pre- and post-disaster assistance funds.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the Planning & Zoning Board:
1) Conduct a public hearing; and
2) Forward a recommendation to the Town Council.
The Planning & Zoning Board recommendation will be presented at the Town Council public hearing to be held for this item.
