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HomeMy WebLinkAboutA25 V6 Approved 2016 - Sect I - Plan ProcessJefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 53 May 2017 SECTION I THE PLANNING PROCESS Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 54 May 2017 This Page Intentionally Blank Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 55 May 2017 Introduction Throughout history, the residents of Jefferson County have dealt with the various natural hazards affecting the area. Photographs, journal entries, and newspapers from the mid to late 1800’s to the present show that the residents of the area have dealt with flooding, severe windstorms, harsh winter storms, wildfires, earthquakes, landslides, and even indirectly from volcanic activity. Although there were fewer people in the area many years ago, the natural hazards did at times, adversely affect the lives of those who depended on the land and climate conditions for food and welfare. As the population of the county increased, the exposure to natural hazards created a greater risk than experienced historically. With an ever-continuing growth in population, the development of natural lands, and advancing climate change, the impact of these natural hazards will continue to escalate. Jefferson County’s rural setting, combined with its mild climate and close proximity to the waters of Puget Sound and the mountains and forests of the Olympics create an almost ideal locale that draws people to live here. However, the potential impacts of natural hazards typical to the area make the population, business community, and the environment vulnerable to natural disaster situations. Jefferson County is subject to flooding, severe storms, landslides, earthquakes, wildfires, and volcanic activity and to a much lesser extent, avalanche, drought, and tsunami. It is impossible to predict exactly when these disasters will occur, or the extent to which they will affect the county, but occur they will – it is only a matter of time. However, with careful planning and collaboration among public agencies, private sector organizations, as well as citizens and businesses within the community, it is possible to minimize the losses that can result from these natural disasters. What is natural hazard mitigation? Natural hazard mitigation is the development and implementation of activities designed to reduce or eliminate losses resulting from catastrophic natural events. This Plan identifies all major hazards affecting the participants, but focuses on developing strategies for dealing with the natural hazards. Why develop a natural hazards mitigation strategy? Developing a revised mitigation strategy for Jefferson County completes the process of planning that began with the 2015 Jefferson County Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Assessment (HIVA), which is incorporated in the Plan. This report serves to establish a foundation for coordination and collaboration among local agencies, jurisdictions, and the citizens of Jefferson County in addition to providing a basis for identifying mitigation strategies and future mitigation projects as a means to assist in meeting the requirements of various federal assistance programs. The rising cost of responding to and recovering from natural disasters has led to an increased interest in identifying effective ways to reduce the vulnerability to natural hazards and the disasters these hazards can create. Natural hazard mitigation plans assist communities in identifying the hazards that could impact them, determining the vulnerability of the community to these hazards, and identifying mitigation strategies to prevent or reduce the impacts these hazards pose to the community through a coordinated, multi-jurisdictional approach. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 56 May 2017 What are the benefits of hazard mitigation? • Save lives and property – communities can save lives and reduce property damage from natural hazards through mitigation actions, such as moving families and their homes out of harm’s way or by limiting development and/or regulating the type of construction or structures allowed in certain areas. • Reduce vulnerability to future hazards – by having a mitigation strategy in place, communities are better prepared to take the proper steps that will permanently reduce the risk of future losses. • Facilitate post-disaster funding – by identifying mitigation strategies and projects before the next disaster, Jefferson County communities will be in a better position to obtain post-disaster funding because much of the background work necessary for funding assistance will already be in place. Who does the natural hazards mitigation plan benefit? The Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed, written, and adopted as a multi-jurisdictional all-hazards mitigation plan for the benefit of the incorporated municipalities, various special purpose districts, and the unincorporated rural areas of Jefferson County. It is anticipated that a large number of county special purpose districts will also adopt this plan in order to benefit from future hazard mitigation funding. The information contained in this plan is applicable countywide and serves to provide the framework for natural hazard mitigation within Jefferson County. Much has already been gained in simply developing this plan and establishing the basic mitigation strategies that have been incorporated into this document. It is hoped that the spirit of inter-jurisdictional cooperation that has begun with this planning effort will continue in the years to come thereby providing further benefits to all jurisdictions and agencies within the county as well as the citizens these jurisdictions and agency serve. Furthermore, the Plan was developed following the process set forth in the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 as well as the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System. By doing so, it is anticipated that the citizens living in those jurisdictions within Jefferson County that participate in the Community Rating System could possibly further benefit from this plan through an additional decrease in their flood insurance premiums. Natural hazards land use policy in Washington Planning for natural hazards in Washington has taken shape over the past 30 years beginning with the State Environmental Policy Act (1971) and the Shorelines Management Act (1971), and followed by the State Building Code Act (1974, 1985) and the Growth Management Act (1991). It is an integral element of Washington’s statewide land use planning program which focuses on appropriate land use controls in critical areas that are prone to natural disasters, along with keeping up with the latest technology in construction methods to mitigate potential disasters. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 57 May 2017 Support for natural hazards mitigation The primary responsibility for the development and implementation of mitigation strategies and policies lies with local jurisdictions. However, local jurisdictions are not alone; various partners and resources exist at the state and federal levels to assist local government in the development of mitigation strategies and plans. Within Washington State, the Washington Military Department, Emergency Management Division is the lead agency for providing hazard mitigation planning assistance to local jurisdictions. Plan Methodology Because of the similarity in hazards that pose threats to the various communities within Jefferson County, a decision was made that the Plan should meet three basic goals to serve the needs of the citizens of Jefferson County, and governmental jurisdictions and agencies: 1. That the plan be multi-jurisdictional thereby satisfying the natural hazards mitigation planning requirements as specified in the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 for all communities within Jefferson County. 2. That the plan be developed following the process outlined by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 as well as the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System so that the plan coordinates with and compliments Community Rating System programs that exist now or may exist in the future within Jefferson County. 3. That the plan be written in such a way so as to evolve into an “All Hazards Mitigation Plan” for Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend. The Plan was written using the best available information obtained from a wide variety of sources. Throughout the plan development process, a concerted effort was made to gather information from participating municipal and county agencies and staff as well as stakeholders, business and industry, and the citizens of Jefferson County. A concerted effort was made to solicit information from local agencies and individuals with specific knowledge of certain natural hazards and past historical events, as well as planning and zoning codes and ordinances and recent planning decisions. Establishment of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committee A new Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committee was formed in 2008 to assist Jefferson County in meeting the requirements of the Plan revision process and to keep the mitigation-planning project on schedule. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 58 May 2017 This committee was charged with the following responsibilities: • Establish plan development goals and objectives. • Establish a time line for completion of the plan. • Ensure that the plan meets the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 as well as National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System requirements. • Solicit and encourage the participation of municipalities, special purpose districts, stakeholders, and citizens in the plan development process. • Assist local planning officials, special purpose district commissioners, and others in gathering information for inclusion in the plan. • Organize and oversee the public involvement process. • Gather all pertinent information to be included in the plan. • And … craft the plan. Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committee Members (2017) Lynn Sterbenz, Director, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management Keppie Keplinger, Deputy Director, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management Ken Horvath, Project Coordinator, Hazard Mitigation Update Project Ken Clow, Director, City of Port Townsend Public Works Michael Evans, Police Chief, City of Port Townsend Lance Bailey, Director Developmental Services, City of Port Townsend The Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committee will continue in an advisory capacity after this plan is completed and the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Grant is terminated. Responsibility for annual updates and revisions to the plan will be delegated to the Jefferson County Department of Community Development. To maintain continuity between the requirements of the planning grant and the plan development process, each member of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committee is also a member of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee. Jefferson County – Port Townsend Regional Emergency Planning (JPREP) Group JPREP has become the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee. It meets quarterly and contains representatives from participating jurisdictions, some of the coordinating entities, and the public as represented by members of Neighborhood Preparedness (NPREP) groups. All Hazard Mitigation Points- of-Contact are members of JPREP, along with members of their organizations that may have been delegated responsibilities with the Plan development. Quarterly JPREP meetings are used information sharing, training, exercises and the development of policy relating to emergency management, preparedness, and hazard mitigation, which is a form of preparedness. The members of the JPREP committee that are specific points-of-contact for the Hazard Mitigation Plan are listed in the table below: Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 59 May 2017 Table PP-1 - MULTI-JURISDICTION HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN POINTS-OF-CONTACT # Jurisdiction Name Jurisdiction Type (city/ township/ village, etc.) Plan POC Mailing Address Email Phone 0 Multi-Jurisdiction All Jurisdictions Ken Horvath Project Coordinator Jefferson County Dept of Emergency Management 81 Elkins Road Port Hadlock, WA 98338 khorvath@co.jefferson.wa.us (360) 385-9368 1 Jefferson County, WA County Lynn Sterbenz, Director Jefferson County Dept of Emergency Management 81 Elkins Road Port Hadlock, WA 98338 lsterbenz@co.jefferson.wa.us (360) 385-9368 2 City of Port Townsend City Michael Evans, Chief of Police Port Townsend Police Dept 1925 Blaine St Port Townsend, WA 98368 mevans@cityofpt.us (360) 382- 2322 3 East Jefferson Fire & Rescue Fire District (JCFD1) Ted Krysinski Deputy Fire Chief 24 Seton Road Port Townsend, WA 98368 tkrysinski@ejfr.org (360) 385-2626 4 Quilcene Fire - Rescue Fire District (JCFD2) Larry Karp Chief 70 Herbert St Quilcene, WA 98376 chief@qvfd.org (360) 765- 3333 5 Port Ludlow Fire - Rescue Fire District (JCFD3) Brad Martin Chief 7650 Oak Bay Road Port Ludlow, WA 98365 brad.martin@plfr.org (360) 437- 2236 6 Brinnon Fire - Rescue Fire District (JCFD4) Tim Manly Chief 272 Schoolhouse RD P.O. Box 42 Brinnon, WA 98320 tmanly@brinnonfire.org (360) 796-4450 7 Discovery Bay Fire & Rescue Fire District (JCFD5) Willie Knoepfle Chief 12 Bentley Pl Port Townsend, WA 98368 wkoepfle@dbvfr.org (360) 379-6839 8 JeffCom 9-1-1 Special Purpose District Karl Hatton Director 81 Elkins Road Port Hadlock, WA 98339 khatton@jcpsn.us (360) 344- 9779 9 Jefferson HealthCare Medical Center Public Hospital District No. 2 Bill Hunt Emergency Management Coordinator 824 Sheridan St Port Townsend, WA 98368 bhunt@jgh.org (360) 385-2200 10 Jefferson County Library Public Library District Meredith Wagner Director 620 Cedar Ave Port Hadlock, WA 98339 mwagner@jclibrary.info (360) 385- 6544 11 Port of Port Townsend Port District Sam Gibboney Exec Director 2701 Jefferson St Port Townsend, WA 98368 samg@portofpt.com (360) 385- 0656 12 Port Townsend School District No. 50 Public School District John Polm Superintendent Of Schools 450 Fir St Port Townsend, WA 98368 jpolm@ptschools.org (360) 379- 4501 13 Brinnon School District No. 45 Public School District Patricia Beathard Superintendent Of Schools 46 Schoolhouse Rd Brinnon, WA 98320 pbeathard@bsd46.org (360) 796-4646 14 Chimacum School District No. 49 Public School District Rick Thompson Superintendent Of Schools P.O. Box 287 Chimacum, WA 98325 rick_thompson@csd49.org (360) 302- 5896 15 Queets / Clearwater School District No. 20 Public School District Scott M. Carter Superintendent Of Schools 146000 Hwy 101 Forks, WA 98331 scarter@qcsd.wednet.edu (360) 962- 2395 16 Quilcene School District No. 48 Public School District Wally F. Lis Superintendent Of Schools P.O. Box 40 Quilcene, WA 98376 wlis@qsd48.org (360) 765-3363 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 60 May 2017 Table PP-1 - MULTI-JURISDICTION HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN POINTS-OF-CONTACT # Jurisdiction Name Jurisdiction Type (city/ township/ village, etc.) Plan POC Mailing Address Email Phone 17 Quillayute Valley School District No. 402 Public School District Diana Reaume Superintendent Of Schools P.O. Box 60 Forks, WA 98331 diana.reaume@qvschools.org (360) 374- 6262 18 Public Utility District No. 1 of Jefferson County Public Utility District James Parker General Manager 310 Four Corners Rd Port Townsend, WA 98368 jparker@jeffpud.org (360) 385-5800 19 Jefferson Transit Authority Public Transportati on District Tammi Rubert General Manager 63 Four Corners Rd Port Townsend, WA 98368 trubert@jeffersontransit.com (360) 385- 4777 20 JPREP will continue to meet quarterly following the formal adoption of this plan. This committee will meet to discuss mitigation strategies, become current in new preparedness techniques and opportunities, and do exercises relating to different disaster scenarios to uncover opportunities for improvement of coordinated mitigation efforts and the survivability of the region. It will provide the mechanism for initiating and maintaining the annual updates to the Plan. Input from Stakeholders and Citizens In order to facilitate better coordination and communication between the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee as well as stakeholders and citizens of the community, “The Jefferson -Port Townsend Regional Emergency Planning Committee (JPREP)” was used as a larger planning group and serves as an Extended Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee. Information was gathered from these stakeholders and citizens via a series of public and JPREP meetings beginning in September 2015 and concluding in December 2016. Because of poor attendance at previous hazard mitigation meetings, city council, county commissioner, and special district board meetings were used as venues to draw public comment. These met all the legal requirements for notification, and did not waste time, which was limited in spite of having funding available from a planning grant. Because of our poor experience with public response in prior plan development efforts, we also expanded our solicitation of input to the city website and to the one hundred twenty-three Neighborhood Emergency Groups that have developed since the last plan was created. By “preaching to the choir”, we hoped to draw more interest and more responsiveness. Additionally, an online presence was created at www.jprephazmitplan.org to allow individuals to view the 2009 Plan and the 2016 Draft Plan as it was developed. Site visitors were encouraged to make comments and suggestions as the Plan was developed. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 61 May 2017 Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee Stakeholders Information regarding hazard identification, vulnerability assessment, and mitigation strategies for inclusion in this plan was also requested from the following agencies and organizations: Table PP-2 – Hazard Mitigation Plan Stakeholders All Jefferson County Drainage Districts JeffCom 911 All Jefferson County Fire Districts Port of Port Townsend All Jefferson County Hospital Districts Port Townsend Library District All Jefferson County Sewer Districts Public Utility District No. 1 of Jefferson County All Jefferson County Water Districts Port Townsend Police Department All Jefferson County Public School Districts Port Townsend Finance Department Jefferson County Library District JC Department of Community Development Jefferson Transit Authority PT Developmental Services Dept Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Jefferson County Public Works Jefferson County Assessor Port Townsend Public Works Jefferson County Central Services Appendix B, PARTICIPANTS & CONTACTS, contains the names and roles of each of the individual participants from the above organizations and citizenry. It is divided into the Steering Committee, Advisory Committee, Reviewers, and other citizens who have made a significant contribution to the effort to produce the Plan. Over 200 people from 19 jurisdictions and special districts contributed to the building of this Plan. In addition, the following jurisdictions are recognized in the process of developing the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan through the provision of information, and a commitment to coordinate efforts in the future. These entities were selected because Jefferson County does not have jurisdiction over them, yet the mitigation plans of these jurisdictions impact Jefferson County in terms of its needs to place mitigation resources, and in some cases, for the purposes of the “All Hazards” plan, actually create the type of hazard that Jefferson County needs to anticipate. Private partnerships have been encouraged with businesses and individuals that could be anticipated to have to have a material impact on planning issues, mitigation efforts, and fast recovery during a natural disaster. Table PP-3 – Coordinating Entities Clallam County Emergency Operations Center Sequim School District No. 323 Clallam Fire Protection District No. 1 (Clallam/Jefferson) U.S. Coast Guard Clallam Fire Protection District No. 3 (Clallam/Jefferson) U.S. Forest Service – Olympic National Park Clallam County PUD U.S. Naval Magazine – Indian Island Fort Worden State Park Washington Department of Ecology The Hoh Tribe of Indians Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife KROH – FM 91.9 Washington Department of Natural Resources KPTZ – FM 91.1 Washington Department of Transportation Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Groups (NPREP) Wa Military Dept – Emergency Management Division Port Townsend Paper Washington State Patrol Propane Providers U.S. Forest Service – Olympic National Park Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 62 May 2017 Additionally, the following citizens participated in the public process to develop the 2016 Plan or have contributions remaining from previous Plans. These citizens became involved because of their specific knowledge of certain natural hazards and past historical events as well as local land use plans and codes and recent planning decisions. Table PP-4 - Significant Citizen Contributors Robert Bindschadler (NASA Emeritus Scientist) (2016) Sue Horvath (2016) Tom Camfield Pete Hubbard (2016) Pam Clise Rita Kepner (2016) Dennis Crawford Cindy Jayne (2016) Linda Davis, Solstice Farm (2016) Deborah Stinson Jeffery Hartman Mike Zimmerman (2016) Hazard specific research The Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee, in close cooperation with the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management, compiled information and collected data for thirteen natural hazards that coincided with the County’s Hazard Identification and Vulnerability Analysis: avalanche, damaging winds, drought, earthquake, flood, heat wave, land movement, public health emergencies, tornado, tsunami / seiche, volcanic activity, wildland fire, and winter storms. Information was obtained from local historical records, and a wide variety of local, state, and federal agencies as well as the above referenced stakeholder interviews and public workshops. In addition, a great deal of information was obtained from existing plans, studies, reports and numerous sources via the Internet. See Appendix E for a list of resources used. Note: In 2009, we expanded the number of natural hazards by splitting “severe storms” into “wind storms” and “winter storms” and by adding “Heat Wave” and “Public Health Incidents” and tornados, even thorough these are rare. Similarly, the man-made hazards were expanded to include a break-out of transportation issues, particularly “military ordnance incidents” and “maritime incidents”. In 2016, a section on “Climate Change” was added to each of the appropriate hazards. In addition, the draft version of updated FEMA FIRMS was available along with the risk assessments done to develop the new FIRMS. These, also, were used with their appropriate hazards. Plan Development Process The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 In the past, federal legislation has provided funding for disaster relief, recovery, and hazard mitigation planning. The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 is the latest legislation to improve this planning process and was put into motion on October 10, 2000, when the President of the United States signed the Act (Public Law 106-390). The new legislation reinforces the importance of mitigation planning and emphasizes planning for disasters before they occur. Mitigate: to cause to become less harsh or hostile; to make less severe or painful. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 63 May 2017 Planning: the act or process of making or carrying out plans; the establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit. Hazard Mitigation (as defined by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000): any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards. The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 is intended to facilitate cooperation between state and local authorities, prompting them to work together. It encourages and rewards local and state predisaster planning and promotes sustainability as a strategy for disaster resistance. To implement the new Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requirements, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) prepared an Interim Final Rule, published in the Federal Registry on February 26, 2002, at 44 CFR Parts 201 and 206, which establishes planning and funding criteria for state and local governments. The primary purpose of hazard mitigation is to identify community policies, actions, and tools for implementation over the long term that will result in a reduction in risk and potential for future losses community-wide. This is accomplished by using a systematic process of learning about the hazards that can affect the community, setting clear goals, identifying appropriate actions, following through with an effective mitigation strategy, and keeping the plan current. Local Involvement: Almost all of the jurisdictions in the Plan contributed to the development of the plan through the dedication of staff time to oversee the development of the plan, assist in writing the plan, and/or compile jurisdiction-specific information contained in the plan. Key contributors in this process were: Bob Hamlin, Director, Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management Ken Horvath, Project Coordinator Doug Noltemeier, Jefferson County GIS Tyler Johnson, City of Port Townsend GIS This Plan is the result of a focused effort on the part of local municipalities, jurisdictions, special purpose districts, agencies, and citizen involvement. The writing and organizing of the Plan was performed by Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management and by City of Port Townsend staff with a great deal of assistance provided by members of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committee. Appendix B, Participants & Contacts, contains a table of the names and roles of each of the individual participants from all of the jurisdictions, districts, and citizenry. Over 200 people from 19 participating jurisdictions and special districts, and coordinating entities who contributed to the building of this Plan are listed. The table is divided into the Steering Committee, Planning Committee, Reviewers, and other citizens who have made a significant contribution to the effort to produce the Plan. All jurisdictions and special districts having elected governing bodies were contacted and asked if they would participate in the development of the overall Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan for the County. Given the resources available to each jurisdiction, they participated as best they could. In the case of school districts, for example, all districts were currently working on an Emergency Response Plan, which included a section on Hazard Mitigation. Thus, they were able to provide a subset of their Emergency Response Plan as input into the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 64 May 2017 All participants fell into one or more of the following categories: Steering Committee – Provided leadership in getting resources to compile and write the Plan, in providing guidance in the strategic development of the Plan, and in getting adoption in the key jurisdictions. Planning Committee – Provided local champions to gather and assemble hazard mitigation source material and to assess the local hazard needs. This group also committed to being the ongoing contacts for the annual review and update of the Plan. Stakeholders – Stakeholders are local champions who provided significant input into the development of the Plan through the gathering of their district’s mitigation needs, and who reviewed the draft versions and provided counsel to improve the Plan. These champions reviewed and recommended the adoption of the Plan to the 20 Boards and Councils that comprised the eligible government entities in Jefferson County. Stakeholders generally have sufficient authority to commit staff resources to implement mitigation activities, and to support the Plan. All Steering Committee and Planning Committee members are stakeholders. Contacts – Contacts are people, primarily staffers, who made significant contributions, including reviewing the draft Plan, but did not have the leadership role in making the Plan viable in their district. Commissioners and Council Members – Commissioners and Council Members had the legal authority to commit the jurisdiction or special district to participate in and to adopt the Plan as their entity’s official Plan. Generally, the adoption of the Plan was made upon the recommendation of the primary stakeholder reporting the Board, and after a period of “due diligence” in which the Board reviewed the Plan and determined that the commitment asked of their district was acceptable. Others – Other individuals who contributed, but did not fall into one of the above categories are listed. These include staff support, the contributions of interested citizens, and even stakeholders whose analysis eventually led them to determine they should opt out of the Plan. The table in Appendix B identifies each of the people who contributed and the specific role they had in putting together such a comprehensive work in so short a time. Figure PP-1, below, presents the on-going development process for the Plan. This process has become part of the quarterly JPREP meetings, and includes on-going interaction among all jurisdictions and their citizens within the context of the governing documents of each jurisdiction. Rather than make mitigation a discrete concept, it is being made into a fact of life in Jefferson County. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 65 May 2017 Figure PP-1 – Hazard Mitigation Plan Development Cycle Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 66 May 2017 Public Participation Process Public participation is a key component to strategic planning processes. Citizen participation offers citizens the chance to voice their ideas, interests, and opinions. Washington’s land use planning system addresses the need for public process and provides the opportunity for citizens to be involved in the planning process. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also requires public input during the development of flood mitigation plans. The Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend Hazard Mitigation Plan integrates a cross-section of citizen input throughout the planning process. The Natural Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee developed a public participation processes encompassing four components: (1) a Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee comprised of knowledgeable individuals in the community; (2) conducting stakeholder interviews to target the specialized knowledge of individuals working with populations or areas at risk from natural hazards; (3) conducting public meetings to identify common concerns and ideas regarding hazard mitigation and to discuss specific goals and actions of the mitigation plan; and (4) and an on-going feedback mechanism that allows public contact with the planning through the internet. Integrating citizen involvement during the development of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan has resulted in increased public awareness, and set the stage for future cooperation from the portion of the public that has a particular interest in man-made hazards that will be covered in the All Hazard Mitigation Plan to come. This involvement and cooperation assures that the mitigation plan reflects community issues, concerns, and perspectives, and encourages new ideas to be brought forward to benefit the community. In addition, the one hundred twenty-three neighborhood emergency groups were asked to address hazard mitigation at their regular meetings and provide feedback to the Planning Team, either directly or through the Plan website at www.jprephazmitplan.org. Public Involvement In order to better involve the public in the planning process, the Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committee advertised and conducted public meetings as part of the Board and/or council meetings in which resolutions were passed relating to the Plan. All such meetings fall under Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act (RCW 42.30) and thus assure that the appropriate notifications, Agendas, etc. are published. Passing of a resolution or inclusion of the Board minutes provides proof that all legal requirements were met. We have found that this makes it easier for the public to attend because the facilities and time are generally known, and it is easier for individuals to plan their schedules around these meetings. This effort is in addition to the many public meetings and workshops held by stakeholders to solicit input into the development of their own planning documents, such as Jefferson County’s Comprehensive Plan, which provided much of the material for the overall Plan. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 67 May 2017 Project Webpage The second aspect of the public process involved the development of a project website, www.jprephazmitplan.org, independent of the City of Port Townsend’s website. The working draft was placed on the website created specifically for the public to use to view and comment on the Plan in real-time as it was being developed. Figure PP-2 - Sample Hazard Mitigation Project Webpages - Home Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 68 May 2017 Plan Participation and Adoption The Jefferson County Administrator, and City of Port Townsend City Manager agreed to participate in the development of the All Hazards Mitigation Plan on behalf of their governing bodies and agreed to adopt it once FEMA has approved the Plan. In addition, special districts that participated in the development of the Jefferson County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan in prior years did the same. The Summary of Adoption Resolutions, below, details the adoption history, since there have been significant organizational changes over the years that the region has been participating. The City has benefited greatly from previous Plans and has an interlocal agreement with the county, so that it agreed to fund the writing and publication of the Plan for all participating jurisdictions. This was done by obtaining Pre-Disaster Mitigation Planning Grant E16-091 and by providing matching funds from inception through approval by FEMA. Table PP-5 - Adoption Resolutions of Participating Jurisdictions Agency/Jurisdiction 2004 Adoption Resolution Number 2009 Adoption Resolution Number 2016 Adoption Resolution Number 2016 Adoption Date Jefferson County 50-04 21-10 04-17 01/23/2017 City of Port Townsend 04-037 10-013 16-046 11/07/2016 Port Ludlow Drainage District 13 Not Numbered Opt Out Opt Out Jefferson County Fire District 1 (JCFD1) dba East Jefferson Fire & Rescue (EJFR) 2004-07 10-06 16-08 09/21/2016 Jefferson County Fire District 2 (JCFD2) dba Quilcene Fire - Rescue 2004-1 2010-03 2016-09 11/14/2016 Jefferson County Fire District 3 (JCFD3) dba Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue (PLFR) 2004-01 2010-004 2016-10 11/08/2016 Jefferson County Fire District 4 (JCFD4) dba Brinnon Fire - Rescue 2004-4 2010-5 2016-5 11/08/2016 Jefferson County Fire District 5 (JCFD5) dba as Discovery Bay Volunteer Fire Dept 01-04 2010-6 2017-01 02/08/2017 Jefferson County Fire District 6 (JCFD6) 282-04 Annexed by JCFD1 JeffCom 9-1-1 County Dept County Dept 2017-001 01/26/2017 Public Hospital District No. 1 Opt Out Opt Out Opt Out Opt Out Public Hospital District No. 2 2004-013 2010-18 2017-05 01/18/2017 Jefferson County Library District 04-02 10-01 16-06 12/14/2016 Port of Port Townsend 426-04 550-10 657-17 01/25/2017 Port Townsend School District No. 50 04-16 10-12 16-16 11/28/2016 Brinnon School District No. 45 Opt Out 207-10 246-16 11/17/2016 Chimacum School District No. 49 2004-13 2010-05 2016-9 12/14/2016 Queets/Clearwater School District No. 20 01-04/05 1040 16-09 11/15/2016 Quilcene School District No. 48 01:04/05 01:10/11 02:16/17 12/14/2016 Quillayute Valley School District No. 402 01-04/05 04-10/11 06-16/17 02/14/2017 Jefferson Transit Authority 04-12 Opt Out 17-3 02/21/2017 Public Utility District No. 1 of Jefferson County 2004-013 2010-007 2016-022 11/15/2016 Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 69 May 2017 Plan Maintenance Evaluating and Updating the Plan The Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend Hazard Mitigation Plan will be evaluated on an annual basis to determine the effectiveness of mitigation programs, projects, or other related activities and to reflect changes in land development or programs that may affect mitigation priorities and/or strategies; the plan will be updated every five years. Five-year updates will be delivered to the Washington State Hazard Mitigation Officer for review and forwarding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Region X Office. Annual Plan Evaluation In an effort to facilitate the annual plan evaluation process, the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee will remain a semi-active group following the formal adoption of this plan and shall be charged with the responsibility of conducting an annual plan evaluation each calendar year. The Director of the Jefferson County Department of Community Development or his/her designee will be responsible for contacting the chairperson and members of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee and organizing the annual plan evaluation process. The Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee will review the current natural hazards mitigation strategies to determine their relevance to changing situations within Jefferson County as well as known changes in State or Federal policy, and to insure these mitigation strategies are addressing current and expected conditions. Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend address statewide planning goals and legislative requirements through GMA, CRS, and NFIP requirements, capital improvement plans, and building codes. The Plan will provide a series of recommendations that are closely related to the goals and objectives of these existing planning programs. Local plans, such as Emergency Response Plans, that have sections related to Hazard Mitigation will be coordinated with the Plan so that requirements of the Plan are incorporated into local guiding documents and ordinances, and vice versa. As part of this annual evaluation, those communities that participate in the Community Rating System shall submit a copy of their annual evaluation report to the Chairperson of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee no later than September 15th of each calendar year. (At this time none of the Jefferson County communities are participating in the CRS.) Following the annual plan evaluation process, the Chairperson of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee, in cooperation with the Jefferson County Department of Community Development, will prepare a written report describing: 1) the plan evaluation process; 2) the status of any current mitigation activities or projects; 3) any deficiencies identified as a result of the plan evaluation. Copies of this report shall be delivered to the City Manager of the City of Port Townsend, the County Administrator and Board of Jefferson County Commissioners, and participating jurisdictions no later than September 30th of each calendar year. In addition, a copy of this report will also be mailed to the Washington State Hazard Mitigation Officer no later than September 30th of each calendar year. NOTE: This annual plan evaluation and report is for the express purpose of evaluating and reporting the status of the various mitigation strategies and/or projects identified in this plan and to assess the progress of existing mitigation activities. Those jurisdictions that participate in the Community Rating System are responsible for evaluating, maintaining, and updating their Community Rating System Program as well as submitting written reports in accordance with current Community Rating System requirements. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 70 May 2017 Five-Year Plan Update The Plan must be updated annually and resubmitted to the Washington State Emergency Management Department and to FEMA every 5 years for approval in order to maintain eligibility for mitigation grants. Updates to the Plan shall be conducted on a five-year cycle and shall commence at the direction of the Director of the Jefferson County Department of Community Development no later than March First of the scheduled update year. Upon such direction, staff from the Jefferson County Department of Community Development, in cooperation with the chairperson of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee, will begin the process of updating the plan. The City Council of the City of Port Townsend, and the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners shall approve the updated plan and a copy of the updated plan shall be submitted to the Washington State Hazard Mitigation Officer no later than September 30th of the update year. Assuming the approval of this Plan in May, 2017, the following schedule will be in effect: Table PP-6 - PLAN EVALUATION AND UPDATE SCHEDULE 2017 – 2022 Date Required Action to be Taken June 2017 - April 2018 Conduct plan evaluation and public meeting May 2018 Submit updates to Washington State Emergency Management Department June 2018 - April 2019 Conduct plan evaluation and public meeting May 2019 Submit updates to Washington State Emergency Management Department June 2019 - April 2020 Conduct plan evaluation and public meeting May 2020 Submit updates to Washington State Emergency Management Department June 2020 - April 2021 Conduct plan evaluation and public meeting May 2021 May 2021 Submit updates to Washington State Emergency Management Department nt. Director of the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management directs Plan be updated to meet 5-Year Mandate. (If grant funding required, this should start one year earlier.) Jan 2021 Jan 2021 - Jan 2022 Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee Chairperson and Department of Emergency Management staff will begin 5-year plan update process; request a report of all mitigation activities and/or projects from all participating jurisdictions. Update plan in cooperation with JPREP jurisdictions and others as may be necessary Sept 2021 - Dec 2021 Conduct at least one public meeting regarding the plan update; receive comments from Planning Committee Members, stakeholders, and the public; make revisions as may be necessary Jan – May 2022 Updated plan approved by all participating entities March 2022 - EMD April 2022 - FEMA Submit updated Plan to Washington State Emergency Management Department and to FEMA for re-approval by the end of May 2022. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 71 May 2017 This schedule is subject to change based on available resources and competing mandated obligations. It should be noted that the 2009 Plan included a schedule that was to be completed by June of 2015 – prior to expiration of the 2004 Plan. The 2015/2016 cycle, the schedule was wrecked by a combination of the demands of the Cascadia Rising Exercise, multiple reorganizations at the State EMD, and resource limitations at FEMA due to a combination of medical issues among critical (for us) personnel and a general re-tasking of people to deal with the OSO Landslide and multiple wildfires in Washington State. Personnel cuts due to the “Great Recession” along with an increase in the above-mentioned emergencies that created a back-log of work for FEMA delayed the start of the main part of this effort until November 2015, when the grant contract with FEMA to fund the writing was finally signed. Continued Public Involvement All participating entities are dedicated to the continued involvement of the public in the Natural Hazards Mitigation process. Copies of the Plan will be kept and made available for public review at the following locations: • Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management • Jefferson County Public Library • City of Port Townsend Library • City of Port Townsend Administration Department • City of Port Townsend Public Works A notice regarding the existence and location of these copies of the Plan will be publicized annually during the month of following the anniversary date of FEMA approval in the Port Townsend Leader, the local weekly newspaper that serves Jefferson County. The Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management (JCDEM) shall be responsible for receiving, tracking, and filing public comments regarding the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. Contact information for the JCDEM is included in the Point-Of-Contact information on page iii. A public meeting will be held as a part of the annual plan evaluation process as well as the five-year plan update. Additional meetings may also be held as deemed necessary by the Chairperson of the Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee. The purpose of these meetings is to provide a public forum so that citizens can express concerns, opinions, or ideas about the Plan. The Jefferson County Public Information Officer shall be responsible for utilizing Jefferson County resources to publicize annual public meetings in order to facilitate continued public involvement in the natural hazards mitigation process within Jefferson County and the City of Port Townsend. Figure PP-3, below, sets out the annual maintenance process that will keep the Plan updated on a continuous basis and involve both jurisdictional and community input on a regular basis. Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 72 May 2017 Figure PP-3 - Annual Plan Maintenance and Public Involvement Schedule Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 73 May 2017 Tables – SECTION I – PLAN PROCESS PP-1 Plan Jurisdictions’ Points-of-Contact PP-2 Plan Stakeholders PP-3 Coordinating Entities PP-4 Significant Citizen Contributors PP-5 Adoption Resolutions of Participating Jurisdictions PP-6 Plan Evaluation and Maintenance Schedule (2017 – 2022) Figures - SECTION I – PLAN PROCESS PP-1 Hazard Mitigation Plan Development Cycle PP-2 Sample Hazard Mitigation Plan Webpages PP-3 Annual Plan Maintenance and Public Involvement Schedule Jefferson County – City of Port Townsend All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Rev. 2016) Vs. 6 74 May 2017 This Page Intentionally Blank