Title
Sheriff’s Office recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 058-2019 adopting the 2019 update to the El Dorado County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan for the purpose of increasing the safety for citizens of the County during natural hazard events, while reducing the risk of loss of life and property.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Effective November 1, 2004, a mitigation plan approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) was required from any community that wished to obtain funding from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, or the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program to reduce potential damages during a natural disaster. In 2005, the El Dorado County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MHMP) was prepared by El Dorado County, the incorporated communities of Placerville, and South Lake Tahoe, and participating local districts. On March 29, 2005, the Board approved and signed Resolution #071-2005 adopting the MHMP. The MHMP is to be updated every 5 years.
The purpose of the MHMP is to reduce or eliminate the effects that natural or man-made hazards may cause to people and property should an event occur. The MHMP was prepared to meet the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requirements in order to maintain El Dorado County’s eligibility for FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs (HMGP). More importantly, this plan and its planning process lay out the strategy that will enable El Dorado County to become less vulnerable to future disaster losses.
The initial process followed the methodology prescribed by FEMA. It began with the formation of a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) comprised of key County, City, Special District, and stakeholder representatives. The planning process examined the recorded history of losses resulting from natural disasters, identified the elements of risk and analyzed the future threat posed to the County by these hazards.
The greatest risk and vulnerability to the County are associated with wild land fires and floods. The HMPC puts forth several mitigation goals and objectives that are based on the results of the risk assessment. The MHMP also puts forth specific recommendations for actions that can mitigate losses from possible future disasters.
The MHMP is based on a hazard identification and risk assessment of all the areas in El Dorado County that could be impacted and includes a review of the County’s current hazard reduction capabilities. Specific recommendations have been made to reduce the risks and the effects of local disasters should they occur.
An additional element was required for the five-year update to the MHMP adopted in 2010. That element is that the MHMP had to be included in the Safety Element of the General Plan adopted pursuant to subdivision (g) of Government Code Section 65302. The requirement was met in the 2010 MHMP adoption and approved by FEMA and California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) in April 2012. The next update would need to occur in 2017.
The 2017 proposed 5-year MHMP update was submitted and required several revisions based on new and evolving FEMA standards. FEMA, CAL OES, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services (OES), and the El Dorado County Emergency Preparedness and Response Division completed these revisions in January 2019.
This 2019 MHMP update has been reviewed and approved by FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), and as required, is now before your Board for approval and adoption.
ALTERNATIVES
N/A
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
On March 29, 2005, your Board approved and adopted the initial MHMP with Resolution 071-2005. On December 15, 2009, Legistar Item # 09-1474, Resolution 267-2009 adopted the five-year update to the MHMP. On December 20, 2011, Legistar Item 11-1402, the Board adopted Resolution 203-2011 adopting the MHMP after the County's General Plan Safety Element added the MHMP.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Various County departments (Transportation, Planning, Sheriff’s OES), as well as outside agencies such as the Cities of Placerville and South Lake Tahoe, EID and several school districts contributed to this Plan.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
N/A
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Return a signed Board resolution to Sheriff’s OES for distribution to FEMA and Cal OES.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Undersheriff Randy Peshon