HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 360-05-,
City of Palo Alto
City Manager's Report
TO: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CITY MANAGER
DATE: SEPTEMBER 12, 2005
DEPARTMENT: PLANNING &
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT
CMR: 360:05
SUBJECT: LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN (LHMP)
This is an informational report and no Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On October 30, 2000, the President signed into law the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000
(DMA 2000). This Act requires all state, local and tribal governments to develop and
submit a local hazard mitigation plan as a condition of receiving Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program (HMGP) project -grants. In spring 2005, the Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG) received a grant from the Federal Emergency ManagemeQt
Agency (FEMA) to prepare a regional plan; all jurisdictions could choose to participate
in this regional effort. Palo Alto, along with the majority of Bay Area cities, counties,
and special districts, is participating with ABAG in the development of the LHMP.
DISCUSSION
DMA 2000 became Public Law 106-390 on October 30, 2000. Its purpose is "to amend
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to authorize a
program for pre-disaster mitigation, to streamline the administration of disaster relief, to
control the federal costs of disaster assistance, and for other purposes." The four phases
of disaster response are mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mitigation takes
place before a natural hazard occurs and is recognized by FEMA as "the cornerstone of
emergency management." Simply put, mitigation has proven to save lives and property
and, therefore, lessen the impact of natural hazards.
CMR: 360:05 Page 1 of3
Regardless of how a jurisdiction creates its LHMP, all must have the same components.
According to Section 201.1 of the Interim Final Rule, "the purpose of mitigation
planning is for state, local, and Indian tribal governments to identify the natural hazards
that impact them; to identify actions and activities to reduce any losses from those
hazards, and to establish a coordinated process to implement the plan, taking advantage
of a wide range of resources." The Interim Final Rule identifies the following five items
as essential to all mitigation plans:
1. Planning Process -The planning process requires that the project plan include
the public, private industries, and neighboring communities to ensure that a
comprehensive community approach is taken.
2. Performing a Risk Assessment -Risk assessment includes analyzing the
hazards a community faces, including historical events, and examining the ri~ks
to the current and future built environment. The risk assessment includes the
type of hazard and vulnerability to the hazard. Performing risk assessment is
key to mitigation planning.
3. Developing a Mitigation Strategy -The mitigation strategy is a plan for
reducing the impact of hazards identified in the risk assessment.
4. Plan Maintenance Schedule -Mitigation Plans must be monitored, evaluated
and updated every five years.
5. Adoption by a Governing Body -The authorizing governing body must
approve each mitigation plan.
ABAG has received a grant from FEMA to prepare the regional LHMP and to assist local
jurisdictions. This regional plan was reviewed and approved by the ABAG Executive
Board on March 17, 2005.· The ABAG plan is available for review at
http://quake.abag.ca.gov/mitigation/plan.html. Each participating jurisdiction must
prepare an annex to the ABAG plan addressing local hazards, local risk assessment, and
existing and proposed mitigation measures. A Palo Alto annex and a matrix of proposed
mitigation measures has been drafted and reviewed by the appropriate city departments
including the City Attorney, Fire, Police, Public Works, Utilities, Planning and
Community Environment, and Community Services. In addition, The Palo Alto Unified
School District and Stanford Medical Center staff provided input to the draft LHMP.
Contrary to Palo Alto's normal process, FEMA requires thatthe City take input on the
LHMP from the community prior to review and approval by the governing body. For this
reason, staff is implementing the following ABAG recommended process:
CMR: 360:05 Page 2 of3
• . The Palo Alto annex to the LHMP and the mitigation matrix will be posted on the
City website beginning Thursday, September 8, 2005. .
• Comments from the public will be solicited and reviewed with specific
consideration from Palo Alto's Citizen Corps.
• The revised drafts will be transmitted to FEMA via ABAG (required by DMA
2000).
• FEMA's comments will be incorporated into the Palo Alto annex.
• The LHMP annex and mitigation matrix will be agendized as a public hearing and
Council will be requested to approve a resolution adopting the plan and matrix
(required by DMA 2000).
• The plan annex, mitigation matrix, and resolution, when approved by Council, will
be filed with FEMA (required by DMA 2000) and posted on ABAG's website,
after which Palo Alto will be eligible to apply for and receive grants from FEMA.
• The LHMP will be reviewed annually by executive staff and updated every five
years (required byDMA 2000).
RESOURCE IMPACT
Participating in the ABAG regional plan is far more cost effective than creating a stand
alone Palo Alto specific LHMP.
PREPARED BY:
DEPART1VIENT HEAD APPROVAL: ~
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
CMR:360:05 Page 3 of3
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