What Is a Hazard Mitigation Plan?
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TOWN OF MEDFIELD HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN DRAFT PLAN MAY 2019 PREPARED FOR: TOWN OF MEDFIELD 459 MAIN STREET MEDFIELD, MA 02052 PREPARED BY: METROPOLITAN AREA PLANNING COUNCIL 60 TEMPLE PLACE BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02111 TEL 617.933.0700 WWW.MAPC.ORG i TOWN OF MEDFIELD NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2019 ACKNOWLEGEMENT AND CREDITS This plan was prepared for the Town of Medfield by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) under the direction of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The plan was funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Planning Grant and the Federal Emergency Management Agency Pre-disaster Mitigation Planning Grant. MAPC Officers President Keith Bergman, Town of Littleton Vice President Erin Wortman, Town of Stoneham Secretary Sandra Hackman, Town of Bedford Treasurer Taber Keally, Town of Milton Executive Director Marc Draisen, MAPC Thanks for the assistance of the following individuals: MAPC Staff Credits Senior Environmental Planner Darci Schofield Mapping/GIS Services Darci Schofield Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Director Kurt Schwartz Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Carol I. Sanchez Medfield Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Core Team Kristine Trierweiler Town Administrator Sarah Raposa Town Planner Maurice Goulet Director, Public Works John Wilhelmi Deputy Police Chief William Carrico Fire Chief Amy Colleran Facilities Director Gary Pelletier Building Commissioner Leslie Willitts Conservation Agent Jeffrey Marsden Superintendent, Medfield Public Schools Michael LaFrancesca Director of Finance and Operations, Medfield Public Schools Roberta Lynch Director, Council on Aging Jon Cogan Veterans Agent Ann Thompson Resident b Public Meeting Participants and Community Stakeholders Special thanks to the public meeting participants and community stakeholders who provided feedback. ii TOWN OF MEDFIELD NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowlegement and credits ...............................................................................................................................................ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ...........................................................................................................................................................iii Table of Figures .................................................................................................................................................................v List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................................................v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................................vii PLANNING PROCESS ......................................................................................................................................................vii RISK ASSESSMENT ...........................................................................................................................................................vii HAZARD MITIGATION GOALS ....................................................................................................................................viii HAZARD MITIGATION STRATEGY ................................................................................................................................ ix PLAN REVIEW & UPDATE PROCESS ............................................................................................................................ ix I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Planning Requirements under the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act ......................................................................... 1 What is a Hazard Mitigation Plan? .............................................................................................................................. 1 Previous Federal/State Disasters................................................................................................................................... 1 FEMA Funded Mitigation Projects .................................................................................................................................. 4 Community Profile ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 II. PLANNING PROCESS AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ................................................................................................. 6 Planning Process Summary .............................................................................................................................................. 6 The Local Hazard Mitigation Core Team ..................................................................................................................... 8 Public Meetings ................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Local Stakeholder Involvement .....................................................................................................................................10 Continuing Public Participation .....................................................................................................................................10 Planning Timeline ............................................................................................................................................................10 III. RISK ASSESSMENT .........................................................................................................................................................12 Overview of Hazards and Impacts .............................................................................................................................12 Flood-Related Hazards .............................................................................................................................................14 Wind-Related Hazards .............................................................................................................................................23 Winter Storms .............................................................................................................................................................32 Geologic Hazards ......................................................................................................................................................42 Fire-Related Hazards ................................................................................................................................................48 Extreme Temperatures...............................................................................................................................................52 Drought .........................................................................................................................................................................57 Land Use and Development Trends .............................................................................................................................63 Existing Land Use ........................................................................................................................................................63 Economic Elements ......................................................................................................................................................64 Historic, Cultural, and Natural Resource Areas ....................................................................................................64 iii TOWN OF MEDFIELD NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2019 Critical Infrastructure in Hazard Areas .......................................................................................................................69 Vulnerability Assessment ................................................................................................................................................74 Introduction to HAZUS-MH ........................................................................................................................................74 Estimated Damages from Hurricanes ......................................................................................................................75 Estimated Damages from Earthquakes...................................................................................................................76 Estimated Damages from Riverine and Coastal Flooding ..................................................................................77 IV. HAZARD MITIGATION GOALS ...................................................................................................................................78 V. EXISTING MITIGATION MEASURES ............................................................................................................................79 Flood-Related Mitigation Measures ............................................................................................................................79 Dam Failure