HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 06 - Authorization to Adopt the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Department Name: Fire
Cost Center: 8599
For Agenda of: June 2, 2020
Placement: Consent
Estimated Time: N/A
FROM: Keith Aggson, Fire Chief
Prepared By: James Blattler, Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO ADOPT THE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD
MITIGATION PLAN.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution (Attachment A) approving the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
2019 Update (Attachment B) and accompanying City specific annex (Attachment C).
DISCUSSION
Through the Hazard Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000), the US Congress set a goal to
encourage local governments and states to develop plans and undertake projects to mitigate the
impact of natural disasters to a community before disasters occur. Federal requirements
established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a result of this
legislation, include a requirement that hazard mitigation plans (HMP) be reviewed and updated a
minimum of every five years, and following any major disaster declaration, to maintain
eligibility for funding and technical assistance from State and Federal hazard mitigation
programs.
As with other agencies in San Luis Obispo County, the City of San Luis Obispo has h istorically
completed HMPs locally. In 2018 the County of San Luis Obispo’s Office of Emergency
Services proposed creating a Multi-Jurisdictional HMP for all interested cities, community
services districts and special districts and received grant funding to complete this endeavor. The
plan would meet federal and state requirements, create efficiencies for supporting agencies and
provide cost savings to the participating agencies.
The proposed timeline fit within the City of San Luis Obispo’s need to update the existing 2014
HMP and would ensure the plan was properly updated and maintained. In response, the City
agreed to participate in the multi-jurisdictional plan along with twenty (20) other agencies. The
participating agencies include the County of San Luis Obispo, seven (7) cities, nine (9)
community services districts and four (4) special districts, all of which are identified in the plan.
The Multi-Jurisdictional HMP draft was completed in October of 2019 and was submitted to
CalOES and FEMA for review. FEMA provided approval pending adoption on April 7, 2020.
Once the plan is adopted by all participating agencies, the County of San Luis Obispo can adopt
the overall plan. After all adoptions have been competed, FEMA can formally approve the plan.
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The San Luis Obispo Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) represents the
County’s and participating agencies primary hazard mitigation guidance document. Providing an
updated analysis of each jurisdiction’s historical and current hazards, hazard mitigation goals and
objectives, and hazard mitigation strategies and actions. The plan also represents the City of San
Luis Obispo and region’s overall commitment to supporting a comprehensive mitigation strategy
to reduce or eliminate potential risks and impacts of disasters in order to promote faster recovery
after disasters and an overall more resilient region.
The Planning Process
Through the grant secured by the County, a contractor was hired to oversee the project with the
County, which led the participating agencies. The planning process was developed for the HMP
using the DMA 2000 planning requirements and FEMA’s associated guidance. The original
FEMA planning guidance is structured around a four-phase process however, the team integrated
a more detailed 10-step planning process used for FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS)
and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs. Thus, the modified 10-step process used for this plan
meets the requirements of major grant programs including: FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation program, Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, and flood
control projects authorized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The DMA 2000 planning
requirements are identified in their appropriate sections throughout the HMP.
(1) Organize Resources
1. Organize the Planning Effort
2. Involve the Public
3. Coordinate with other departments and agencies
(2) Assess Risks
4. Identify the Hazards
5. Assess the Risks
(3) Develop the Mitigation Plan
6. Set Goals
7. Review Possible Activities
8. Draft and Action Plan
(4) Implement the Plan and Monitor Progress.
9. Adopt the Plan
10. Implement, Evaluate and Revise the Plan
Plan Organization
The Multi-Jurisdictional HMP consists of eight sections, jurisdictional specific annexes
(Attachment D) and appendices (Attachment E) as described below. The eight sections are
written at the County level however the sections are repeated in each jurisdictional annex
specific to each agency. The HMP and supporting annexes and appendices are lengthy and as
such Council should direct their plan review to the “Introduction and Executive Summary”
located in Attachment B and the City of San Luis Obispo specific annex located in
Attachment C.
1. Promulgation and Adoption - Includes history of previous adoptions.
2. Introduction and Executive Summary – Provides a plan description purpose and
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authority.
3. Planning Process – Describes and documents the planning process including
coordination among agencies and the key stakeholders. In addition, this section
documents the public participation process.
4. County Profile – Provides County history, geography, demographics, population
profile, economy, climate, transportation, land use and development trends.
5. Risk Assessment – Describes the process through which the HMP team identified
and prioritized relevant hazards including methodology and results. This section
also provides disaster declaration history, climate change consideration summary,
asset summary and detailed hazard analysis and risk assessment for each
identified hazard.
6. Capability Assessment - Presents San Luis Obispo County’s mitigation
capabilities: programs and policies currently in use to reduce hazard impacts or
that could be used to implement hazard mitigation activities. It also identifies
select state and federal departments/agencies that can supplement the County’s
mitigation capabilities.
7. Mitigation Strategy – Describes mitigation goals and objectives, identification
and analysis of mitigation actions and a mitigation action plan.
8. Implementation and Monitoring – Describes the role of the HMP planning
committee in implementation and maintenance and processes for incorporation
into existing planning mechanisms. This section also outlines maintenance
monitoring and evaluation and continued public involvement.
• Jurisdictional Annexes – Developed annexes for the participating agencies
including cities, community services districts and special districts. The City of
San Luis Obispo annex is “Annex G” and provided as a separate attachment to
this report for review purposes only.
• Appendices – (A) Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee; (B) Mitigation
Categories, Alternatives, and Selection Criteria; (C) Planning Process
Documentation; (D) Jurisdiction Adoption Resolutions; (E) Critical Facilities;
(F) Climate Change Adaptation Planning Guide Consistency Summary; (G)
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Statutory Consistency Summary;
(H) References.
City of San Luis Obispo Annex
This Jurisdictional Annex builds upon and supersedes the 2014 City of San Luis Obispo Local
HMP. The annex matches the content identified in sections 1 through 8 of the Multi-
Jurisdictional HMP but does so in a manner that is specific to the City of San Luis Obispo. The
City of San Luis Obispo Planning Team determined the two goals from the 2014 LHMP
continue to be appropriate for this plan update, with the new addition of a third goal to address
hazards exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. The following are the City of San Luis
Obispo’s 2019 mitigation goals:
1. Cultivate a disaster-resistant and resilient community through implementation of risk
reduction measures and increased public awareness to prepare for, respond to, and
recover from natural and human-caused hazard events.
2. Reduce the severity of damage and losses due to natural and human-caused hazards.
3. Prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change (new goal).
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Contained in this Annex is the City of San Luis Obispo’s Mitigation Action Plan, which
identifies implementation strategies, the responsible agency/department, potential funding,
estimated cost, and implementation schedule City Staff will utilize to accomplish the goals listed
above. Implementation and maintenance of the City’s Annex in the HMP will be coordinated
with City Staff and the Multi-Jurisdictional HMP team.
Previous Council Action
• In 2014, the San Luis Obispo City Council adopted the City’s first updated Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan (LHMP).
• In 2006, the San Luis Obispo City Council adopted the City’s first LHMP.
Policy Context
Agencies are required to review and revise its HMP and resubmit it for FEMA approval at least
every five years Pursuant to 44 Code of Federal Regulations §201.4 and §201.5 to ensure the
continued eligibility of Stafford Act funding. This includes eligibility for FEMA's hazard
mitigation assistance programs: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Pre-Disaster
Mitigation (PDM), and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA). This also includes eligibility for the
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Program and Public Assistance (PA) grants
(Categories C-G). Additionally, with an approved and adopted HMP, agencies remain eligible
for the reduced cost share for grants awarded under the Flood Mitigation Assistance grant
programs.
The 2014 Plan was not integrated into the City’s Land Use Element; that integration is planned
to be done after the approval of this updated Plan. The General Plan Safety Element references
the 2014 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan in Chapter 5:
The City of San Luis Obispo Local Hazard Mitigation Plan presents a comprehensive
risk assessment of natural hazards that have the potential to affect the City of San Luis
Obispo. The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed by the City in accordance with
the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, adopted by the City Council and approved
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
suggests possible mitigation actions for reducing the effects of potential hazards. It is
incorporated by reference into the Safety Element and should be consulted when
addressing known hazards to ensure the general health and safety of people within the
City of San Luis Obispo. The goals and policies within this Safety Element support and
are consistent with the recommended mitigation strategy within the Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
Public Engagement
Involving the public is a critical part of the planning process and required per the D MA 2000.
The public had many opportunities to provide input on the plan including:
• Public Workshop – March 19, 2019
• Online Public Survey – March 2019 to May 14, 2019
• Public Workshop – April 30, 2019
• Public Review of Draft Plan – October 14, 2019 to November 15, 2019
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CONCURRENCE
All City departments were involved in the updating of the City’s annex in the Multi -
Jurisdictional HMP.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in this
report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2019-20
Funding Identified: Yes/No
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding Sources Current FY Cost
Annualized
On-going Cost
Total Project
Cost
General Fund $4,500 $4,500
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $4,500 $4,500
No additional fiscal impact is associated with the recommendation of adopting the HMP. The
County of San Luis Obispo secured a grant to develop the Multi-Jurisdictional HMP. Each
participating agency was required to provide a matching contribution based on the proportional
population. The City of San Luis Obispo’s portion was determined to be 25%, which was
estimated at $7,500. The project cost was less than originally projected and the final cost to the
City was $4,500. The $3,000 in savings will be returned to the designated Fire Department
Disaster Assistance account from which the City’s contribution was paid.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Council could direct staff to further modify the City’s Annex and return for approval at a
later date. Delaying adoption is not advised as this would restrict the City from applying for
future grants and jeopardize current grants to implement hazard mitigation projects prior to a
disaster event.
2. Do not adopt the proposed update to the HMP. This is not advised because this would
restrict the City from applying for future grants and jeopardize current grants to implement
hazard mitigation projects prior to a disaster event
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Attachments:
a - Draft Resolution
b - COUNCIL READING FILE - San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard
Mitigation Plan 2019 Update
c - COUNCIL READING FILE - Annex G: City of San Luis Obispo
d - COUNCIL READING FILE - Jurisdictional Annexes
e - COUNCIL READING FILE - Plan Appendices
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R ______
RESOLUTION NO. _____ (2020 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE DISASTER MITIGATION
ACT (DMA 2000) COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO MULTI-
JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2019 UPDATE
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo has the potential to experience disasters that can
damage commercial, residential, and public properties, displace citizens and businesses, close
streets and bridges, and present public health and safety concerns; and
WHEREAS, similarly, the County and surrounding agencies equally face the potential to
experience disasters that can damage commercial, residential, and public properties, displace
citizens and businesses, close streets and bridges, and present public health and safety concerns;
and
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo believes in regionalism and cooperation to
improve the preparedness and resiliency of the Region through effective and cooperative
mitigation efforts; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo participated in the County’s first Multi-
Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan; and
WHEREAS, the 2019 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan will serve as the City
of San Luis Obispo’s required update of the 2014 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan; and
WHEREAS, City departments, participating partner agencies, community partner
organizations and the public have contributed to the development of the Multi-Jurisdictional
Hazard Mitigation Plan to meet the requirements of the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000;
and
WHEREAS the City of San Luis Obispo is committed to implementing the actions
contained within this plan; and
WHEREAS the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan will be reviewed annually
and revised as necessary to meet changing conditions.
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Resolution No. _____ (2020 Series) Page 2
R ______
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo that the plan entitled “San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation
Plan” is hereby adopted, a copy of which will be kept on file by the City Clerk in the form adopted
herein.
Upon motion of _______________________, seconded by _______________________,
and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was adopted this _____ day of _____________________ 2020.
____________________________________
Mayor Heidi Harmon
ATTEST:
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City
of San Luis Obispo, California, on _____________________.
____________________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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