s Prince George’s County and The City of Laurel Maryland Hazard Mitigation Plan 222000111000 UUUpppdddaaattteee s Table of Contents Foreword and Resolutions of Adoption Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................1-1 1.2 Authority ...............................................................................................................1-1 1.3 Planning Area........................................................................................................1-1 1.4 Geography, Climate, and Population ....................................................................1-5 1.5 Planning Committee Membership.........................................................................1-6 1.6 Acknowledgments.................................................................................................1-9 1.7 Key Terms & Acronyms .......................................................................................1-9 1.8 References ...........................................................................................................1-10 1.9 2010 Update........................................................................................................1-11 Chapter 2. Mitigation Planning 2.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................2-1 2.2 The Mitigation Planning Process ..........................................................................2-1 2.3 Public Involvement in Mitigation Planning ..........................................................2-3 2.3.1 Public Informational Meeting .....................................................................2-4 2.3.2 Public Sessions of County Council & City Council ...................................2-5 2.4 State & Federal Mitigation Planning Requirements..............................................2-5 2.5 2010 Update..........................................................................................................2-6 Chapter 3. Mitigation Goals 3.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................3-1 3.2 The Mitigation Goal ..............................................................................................3-1 3.3 Maryland's Mitigation Goal ..................................................................................3-2 3.4 FEMA's Mitigation Goals .....................................................................................3-3 3.5 2010 Update..........................................................................................................3-3 Chapter 4. Hazards & Risks in Prince George's County 4.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................4-1 4.2 Overview of the County's Natural Hazards History..............................................4-3 4.3 Losses Due to Major Disasters..............................................................................4-3 4.4 Weather-Related Deaths & Injuries ......................................................................4-4 4.5 Public Awareness of Hazards & Risk ...................................................................4-5 4.6 Hazards in Prince George's County.......................................................................4-6 4.6.1 Streambank Erosion ....................................................................................4-8 Hazard Mitigation Plan (June 2010 Update) i i 4.6.2 Winter Storm...............................................................................................4-8 4.6.3 High Wind/Tornado ..................................................................................4-11 4.6.4 Severe Storm.............................................................................................4-16 4.6.5 Drought .....................................................................................................4-18 4.6.6 Wildland Fire ............................................................................................4-21 4.6.7 Dam Failure...............................................................................................4-23 4.6.8 Extreme Heat.............................................................................................4-25 4.6.9 Land Movement/Unsafe Lands.................................................................4-26 4.7 2010 Update........................................................................................................4-28 Chapter 5. Flood Hazards and Risks 5.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................5-1 5.2 Riverine Flooding..................................................................................................5-1 5.3 Coastal Flooding...................................................................................................5-2 5.4 Flood Hazard History............................................................................................5-4 5.5 Flood Risk Asssessment: Introduction.................................................................5-5 5.5.1 Audit of Selected Flood-Prone Buildings ...................................................5-6 5.6 Flood Risks – Private Buildings............................................................................5-7 5.7 Flood Risks – Public Properties ..........................................................................5-14 5.8 Flood Risks – Roads............................................................................................5-15 5.9 Flood Risks – Levees ..........................................................................................5-16 5.10 Summary: Flood Risks.......................................................................................5-18 5.11 2010 Update........................................................................................................5-19 Chapter 6. Prince George's County – Capabilities 6.1 County Government Structure ..............................................................................6-1 6.2 Planning & Development Processes .....................................................................6-2 6.2.1 Approved General Plan ..............................................................................6-3 6.2.2 Zoning & Planning......................................................................................6-4 6.2.3 Subdivision Regulations .............................................................................6-6 6.2.4 Stormwater & Wetlands Requirements.......................................................6-7 6.2.5 Floodplain Ordinance..................................................................................6-8 6.2.6 Countywide Green Infrastructure Plan .......................................................6-8 6.2.7 County Building Code ................................................................................6-9 6.3 Department of Environmental Resources............................................................6-10 6.3.1 Countywide Flood Reduction Program ....................................................6-12 Hazard Mitigation Plan (June 2010 Update) ii 6.3.2 The Capital Improvement Program...........................................................6-17 6.4 The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission (Planning)........6-19 6.4.1 Development Review................................................................................6-20 6.4.2 Development Review & Natural Hazards.................................................6-22 6.5 The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission (Parks) .............6-22 6.5.1 Land Acquisition, Park Planning and Development.................................6-23 6.5.2 Existing Facilities and Weather-Related Hazards.....................................6-23 6.6 Department of Public Works & Transportation ..................................................6-26 6.6.1 Requirements for Roads and Drainage .....................................................6-27 6.6.2 Roads and Drainage Maintenance.............................................................6-28 6.6.3 Flood Control Facility Maintenance .........................................................6-29 6.6.4 DPW&T Public Information.....................................................................6-30 6.6.5 DPW&T and Natural Hazards ..................................................................6-31 6.7 Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission......................................................6-33 6.8 Department of Housing & Community Development ........................................6-36 6.8.1 Housing Authority ....................................................................................6-37 6.8.2 Redevelopment Authority.........................................................................6-37 6.9 Homeland Security/Emergency Management.....................................................6-38 6.10 Office of Central Services ...................................................................................6-40 6.11 Prince George's County Public Schools..............................................................6-41 6.12 Fire/Emergency Medical Services ......................................................................6-43 6.13 Department of Family Services...........................................................................6-44