Local Mitigation Plan
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CITY OF LEAGUE CITY LOCAL MITIGATION PLAN CITY OF LEAGUE CITY MITIGATION PLANNING COMMITTEE 2010 City of League City Office of Emergency Management 300 West Walker Street League City TX 77573 281-554-1000 RECORD OF CHANGES Page Entered Date Description of Change Number By Entered City of League City Local Mitigation Plan iii This page intentionally left blank City of League City Local Mitigation Plan iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Record of Changes ............................................................................................................................. iii Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... vii Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee ................................................................................................ ix References and List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................ xi INTRODUCTION Authority ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Need ......................................................................................................................... 2 Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 2 SECTION I - CITY OVERVIEW Description of the City ................................................................................................................... 3 Demographics ............................................................................................................................... 4 Geology/Geography ...................................................................................................................... 5 Transportation .............................................................................................................................. 9 Climate ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Summary of Existing Land Uses ................................................................................................... 13 Development Trends ................................................................................................................... 21 SECTION 2 – PLAN REVIEW PROCESS Interim Final Rule Requirements for the Planning Process ............................................................. 29 Overview of the Plan Update ....................................................................................................... 29 Involvement from Partner Agencies.............................................................................................. 36 Review and Incorporation of Plans, Studies, Reports, and Other Information .................................. 37 SECTION 3 – RISK ASSESSMENT/HAZARD ANALYSIS Overview of Hazards ................................................................................................................... 39 Hazard Vulnerability .................................................................................................................... 40 Overview of Hazards ................................................................................................................... 46 Critical and Vulnerable Facilities ................................................................................................... 47 Hurricanes/Tropical Storms .......................................................................................................... 55 Flood Events ............................................................................................................................... 77 Repetitive and Severe Repetitive Loss Properties ..................................................................... 80 Participation in the NFIP ......................................................................................................... 95 Severe Thunderstorms/Hail/Lightning ........................................................................................... 98 Tornado ................................................................................................................................... 104 Extreme Heat ........................................................................................................................... 110 SECTION 4 – MITIGATION STRATEGY Existing Mitigation Goals – 205 LMP and Status Update ............................................................... 115 2010 Mitigation Goals – Statements ........................................................................................... 118 SECTION 5 – MITIGATION ACTION ITEMS 2005 LMP Mitigation Action Items – Status Updates .................................................................... 119 New Action Items – 2010 Plan Update........................................................................................ 127 City of League City Local Mitigation Plan v SECTION 6 – PLAN MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES CRF Requirements for Plan Monitoring and Maintenance ............................................................. 143 Other Local Planning Documents ................................................................................................ 143 Monitoring, Evaluating, Updating and Adopting the Plan .............................................................. 143 SECTION 7 – PLAN ADOPTION Resolution of Adoption .............................................................................................................. 147 FEMA Approval Letter ................................................................................................................ 149 ATTACHMENTS ATTACHMENT A Hazard Mitigation Survey ...................................................................................................... 151 Hazard Mitigation Survey Results .......................................................................................... 155 ATTACHMENT B Mitigation Grant Mailer ......................................................................................................... 165 City of League City Local Mitigation Plan vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY While it is impossible to prevent a hazard or disastrous event from occurring, the impact of such hazards or disastrous events can be lessened in terms of their effect on people and property. This concept is known as hazard mitigation. Hazard mitigation is defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from hazards and their effects. Hazard mitigation may also be defined as a means to reduce or alleviate the loss of life, injury, and property damage resulting from natural and man-made hazards through long term strategies. These strategies include planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities. Hazard mitigation is designed to break the cycle of repeated damages and reconstruction costs associated with recurrent disasters, such as flooding and hurricanes. FEMA, part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has targeted reducing losses from natural disasters as one of its primary goals. Hazard mitigation planning serves several purposes. It sets the stage for long-term disaster resistance through identification of actions that will, over time, reduce the exposure of people and property to hazards. Proactive mitigation planning at the local level can help reduce the cost of disaster response and recovery to property owners and governments by protecting critical community facilities, reducing liability exposure, and minimizing overall community impacts and disruption. The Local Mitigation Plan will be utilized in seeking recognition under the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System and provide additional credit. Benefits of mitigation planning: • assist residents with their efforts at life safety and property protection • promote sound public policy to protect city-owned critical facilities and infrastructure • reduce short-term and long-term recovery and reconstruction costs • increase cooperation and communication within the community through the planning process Section 322 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), 42 U.S.C. 5165, as amended by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) (P.L. 106-390), provides for states, tribes, and local governments to undertake a risk-based approach to reducing risks to natural hazards through mitigation planning. The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4000 et seq, reinforced the need and requirement for mitigation plans. FEMA implemented the various hazard mitigation planning provisions through regulations at 44 CFR Part 201. Regulations governing mitigation planning requirements are published under 44 CFR §201.6, which states that local governments must have a FEMA-approved Local Mitigation Plan (LMP) in order to apply for and receive project grants under Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA), and Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) programs. FEMA approved the initial City of League City Hazard Assessment and Mitigation Plan in January 2005. The original Plan was prepared by Clawson and Associates, in coordination with a Mitigation Planning Committee (MPC)