WEATHER IT TOGETHER: A Cultural Resource Hazard Mitigation Plan for the City of Annapolis April 2018 ii WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN Pete Gutwald, Director of Planning and Zoning Project Team: Don M. Bain, P.E. Lisa M. Craig Michael Justin Dowling, RA Eileen Fogarty Alicia Moran Rebecca Ramsay Mayor Gavin Buckley City Council: Eleanor Tierney Frederick M. Paone Rhonda Pindell Charles Sheila M. Finlayson Marc Rodriguez Shaneka Henson Robert Savidge Ross H. Arnett, III And with thanks to Mayor Michael Pantelides and Alderman Joe Budge Editors: Jen Sparenberg Roberta Laynor Jane McWilliams Sally Nash Jean Russo iii WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN Funding for this project has been provided in part by a number of local, state, and national/federal sources including: ● The Federal Emergency Management Agency Pre‐Disaster Mitigation grant program ● The Annapolis Preservation Services Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation ● Preservation Maryland, the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and the Maryland Historical Trust This publication has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, made available through the Maryland Historical Trust. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of these agencies, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by these agencies. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., MS‐2740 Washington, D.C. 20240‐0001. iv WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN FOREWORD Ask anyone who’s had the opportunity to visit Annapolis, and they will tell you how this historic Maryland seaport, with its distinctive colonial storefronts, beautiful and elegant State House, and large collection of 18th‐century brick homes, offers an unrivalled glimpse into the nation’s past. Today’s visitors to this beloved tourist destination—and there are many!—can still walk the same brick sidewalks along the Severn River or enjoy a rich meal and flagon of ale at the same pubs and taverns as Americans did at the time of the nation’s founding. That is why we at the National Trust named Annapolis one of our National Treasures in 2014. It is a City with deep national and historic significance—and one that, due to the rising sea levels that are accompanying accelerating climate change, is now under threat. Longtime Annapolis residents can testify to the transformations. In the early 1960s, the downtown area experienced nuisance flooding at high tide only three days a year. Today, flooding occurs between thirty and forty days a year. By 2030, according to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), it will flood every other day. By 2045, downtown will flood every single day. These rising waters represent more than just a nuisance. They present clear risks to the City’s many distinctive historic and cultural assets, from the nearly 275‐year‐old Sands House to local watering holes like Middleton’s and McGarvey’s, the sailboats at City Dock to the Alex Haley / Kunta Kinte Memorial downtown, and to all the public spaces around the historic market slip. Thankfully, Annapolis’s municipal leaders have recognized these risks, understand that these historic places are community and economic assets that must be protected for the long term, and have taken important, concrete steps to preserve the future of downtown Annapolis. Under the guidance of Mayor Mike Pantelides and Chief of Historic Preservation Lisa Craig, the City has assembled the wide‐ranging Weather It Together coalition to raise awareness of flooding dangers and come up with innovative mitigation and adaptation solutions. They have explored 21st‐century technologies like GIS mapping and mobile LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) to survey historic resources in Annapolis and analyze the potential impacts of increased flooding. And with the Weather It Together v WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN plan now before you, Annapolis becomes the first city in the United States to have created a cultural resource hazard adaptation and mitigation plan. The challenges posed by rising seas and a warming climate will not affect Annapolis alone. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identified many communities along our coasts, as well as many beloved national landmarks, that are also under threat from these changes. Taken in whole, the preservation challenges before us can seem very daunting. But with this plan, and all of the hard work over the past few years, Annapolis is showing us a way forward—one based on clear‐eyed analysis, thoughtful resilience planning, innovative technology, and creative partnerships. The Sailing Capital has always been a shining beacon of our American past. With this plan, Annapolis now also lays out an important claim to our future. With warmest regards, STEPHANIE K. MEEKS President and CEO, National Trust of Historic Preservation vi WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN vii WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN viii WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD v TABLE OF CONTENTS ix Acknowledgements xii Plan Summary xvi Vision Statement xvi Goals and Objectives xvii Projects xix List of Acronyms and Abbreviations xxi CHAPTER 1: LANDMARK AT RISK 1 Introduction 1 Community Description 4 Economic Significance of the Historic District 17 Housing and Demographics 20 Responding to the Threat 25 CHAPTER 2: HAZARD TYPE ‐ COASTAL FLOODING 29 Annapolis Flood Risk and Sea Level Rise 29 CHAPTER 3: CONSIDERING CULTURAL RESOURCES IN HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING 41 Phase One: Organize Resources 42 Step One: Assess Community Support 43 Step Two: Build the Planning Team 49 Phase Two: Assess Risks 58 Step One: Identify the Hazards 59 Step Two: Profile the Hazards 59 Step Three: Inventory Historic Property and Cultural Resource Assets 59 Step Four: Estimate Loses 62 Phase Three: Develop a Mitigation Plan 63 Step One: Develop Mitigation Goals and Objectives 64 Step Two: Identify, Evaluate, and Prioritize Actions 66 ix WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN Step Three: Prepare an Implementation Strategy 71 Step Four: Incorporate Historic Property and Cultural Resource Protection Efforts into the Hazard Mitigation Plan 72 Phase Four: Implement the Plan and Monitor Progress 72 Step One: Consider Sensitivity of Information 73 Step Two: Consider Required Regulatory Review 73 CHAPTER 4: ADAPTATION IN OUR LANDMARK CITY 74 Ideas and Actions 75 Recommended Projects 76 Project: Tools and Practices for Flood Preparedness and Adaptation 77 Project: Natural Adaptation Measures 87 Archaeological Resources 89 Project: Structural Adaptation Measures 89 First Priority: Stormwater Improvements—Storm Drain System 90 Second Priority: Flood Barriers 91 Other Structural Improvements 92 Project: Public Awareness and Education 94 Building Public Awareness 96 Engage the Public in Flood Preparedness and Adaptation 98 Project: Flood Preparedness and Adaptation Responses in City Plans and Policies98 Guiding Principles and Policies for Performance Standards 101 Policies and Performance Standards as Identified in the STAPLEE Goals, Objectives and Actions 102 Project: Sea Level Rise Update to City of Annapolis Comprehensive Plan 108 Project: Flood Disaster Recovery and Response Plan to “Build Back Betterʺ 116 Project: City Initiative for Flood Adaptation and Risk Management 117 Project: Annapolis Data for Flood Risk and Adaptation 120 Project Costs and Implementation Strategy 123 Validating Project Priorities 128 APPENDICES 129 Appendix A: National Register of Historic Places (Individually Listed Properties) 130 Appendix B: Actionable Ideas 131 x WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN Appendix C: Weather It Together Team (FEMA Worksheet #1) 136 Appendix D: FEMA Worksheets #3 and #5 (Matrix) 138 Appendix E: FEMA Worksheet #4 140 Appendix F: City Coordination and Community Engagement 156 Appendix G: A History of Chesapeake Bay Hurricanes & Tropical Storms in Annapolis 157 Appendix H: Weather It Together STAPLEE ‐ Actions (FEMA Worksheets #6, #7, #8)156 xi WEATHER IT TOGETHER: CULTURAL RESOURCE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Weather It Together Funders ● City of Annapolis ● Maryland Department of Natural Resources ● Maryland Office of Emergency Management ● Maryland Historical Trust ● National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ● National Trust for Historic Preservation ● National Park Service ● United States Army Corps of Engineers ● Urban Land Institute Weather It Together Core Team ● American Institute of Architects ‐ Maryland ● Annapolis Green ● Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce ● Anne Arundel County Planning and Zoning ● Back Creek Conservancy ● Chesapeake Bay Foundation ● City