The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Governors’ Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) have completed a preliminary review of the 2022 Monterey County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP). FEMA and Cal OES have given tentative approval of the plan, pending local adoption. The approval of the plan ensures the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s eligibility and pre-qualification for potential federal pre-and post-disaster funding. The plan includes hazard identification, risk and vulnerability assessments, and mitigation strategies to reduce vulnerability and risk from hazards and reduce the severity of the effects of hazards on people, property, and the environment.
DISCUSSION
Monterey County and Carmel-by-the-Sea are potentially vulnerable to a wide range of natural and man-made hazards. These hazards can threaten the life and safety of residents and visitors and have the potential to damage or destroy both public and private property and disrupt the local economy and overall quality of life. While the threats from hazard events may never be fully eliminated, there is much that can be done to lessen their potential impact. The purpose of hazard mitigation is to implement and sustain actions that reduce vulnerability and risk from hazards or reduce the severity of the effects of hazards on people, property, and the environment.
The Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA) of 2000 (Public Law 106-390) requires state and local government agencies to prepare comprehensive Hazard Mitigation Plans in order to be eligible to receive pre-and post-disaster mitigation funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The DMA also requires the Hazard Mitigation Plan to be monitored, evaluated, and updated within a five-year cycle to remain eligible for disaster related benefits under the DMA.
The 2022 Monterey County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) is a comprehensive update to the 2016 Monterey County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and represents the third iteration of the Monterey County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, which was initially adopted in 2007. The planning area for the MJHMP encompasses the entire geographic area of Monterey County and includes the following participating jurisdictions: Monterey County, the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Greenfield, King, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Sand City, Seaside, and Soledad, as well as the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, the Carmel Area Wastewater District, Monterey One Water, the Monterey Regional Waste Management District, and the Moss Landing Harbor District.
The 2022 update to the MJHMP (attachment 2, “Volume 1”) was developed by the MJHMP Steering Committee, made up of participants from the County and participating jurisdictions. The Steering Committee served as an advisory body on hazard and mitigation action priorities both for the County as a whole and each jurisdiction individually, with Monterey County Office of Emergency Services as the planning lead. The Monterey County MJHMP:
- Provides an explanation of prevalent hazards within the County and describes how hazards may affect the County and participating jurisdictions differently based upon various relationships to natural hazards.
- Includes a discussion of hazard location, size of a typical event, historical occurrences, and the probability of future occurrences for each identified hazard.
- Identifies risks to vulnerable assets, both people and property.
- Provides a mitigation strategy that responds to the identified vulnerabilities within each community and provides prescriptions or actions to achieve the greatest risk reduction based upon available resources.
- Pools resources from throughout the County and creates a uniform local hazard mitigation plan that can be consistently implemented.
- Ensures eligibility for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Cal OES grants.
The Carmel-by-the-Sea Annex (attachment 3, “Volume 2”, pages 51-75) provides specific details on the City’s planning process, a City specific risk and vulnerability assessment, and a mitigation strategy that responds to the identified vulnerabilities within to achieve the greatest risk reduction based upon available resources.
The plan underwent review by the County and participating jurisdictions, the general public (review period occurred from December 2021 to March 2022) and received approval pending adoption from FEMA on June 14, 2022.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
The Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation revision process brought together representatives of involved stakeholder agencies and organizations who could have a role in mitigation planning and implementation of mitigation strategies as identified in the plan. Monterey County, the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Greenfield, King, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas, Sand City, Seaside, and Soledad, as well as the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, the Carmel Area Wastewater District, Monterey One Water, the Monterey Regional Waste Management District, and the Moss Landing Harbor District participated in the planning and completion of the plan.
Staff recommends that Council adopt Resolution 2022-096, adopting the 2022 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation plan, Volume 1 and Volume 2.