HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 07/20/2021 - RESOLUTION 2021- 076 ADOPTING THE 2021 LARIMER COU Agenda Item 12
Item # 12 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY July 20, 2021
City Council
STAFF
Jim Byrne, Office of Emergency Management
Adam Stephens, Legal
SUBJECT
Resolution 2021- 076 Adopting the 2021 Larimer County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this Resolution is to affirm participation by the City in the Larimer County Multi -Jurisdictional
Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP). The purpose of a hazard mitigation plan is to identify and prioritize mitigation
efforts that can reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from disasters and other hazard
generating events. Studies have found that hazard mitigation is extremely cost -effective, with every dollar
spent on mitigation saving an average of $6 in avoided future losses.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
The first Northern Colorado Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan (the “HMP”) was approved in 2005 and revised in
2010. These plans became the basis for the 2016 Larimer County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires that an HMP be updated every five years.
Having a current plan allows participating entities to apply for pre -disaster and post-disaster mitigation funds.
Access to federal funds have been critical in 2020 and 2021.
The HMP is comprehensive at a regional level and provides agreed upon strategies and priorities for a shared
approach to hazard mitigation. It is a flexible plan, subject to change when events impact the community in
varying degrees. Some events, like annual flooding, have ongoing and long -term strategic response plans and
mitigation efforts. Others, like a pandemic, require planning as well as agility and real -time shifting of efforts
and resources because of their unpredictability.
The benefits to a regionally shared HMP are significant. Larimer County takes the lead on the HMP, but City
staff worked on revising the plan to ensure issues specific to Fort Collins are addr essed and align. The HMP
was reviewed by the State of Colorado and forwarded to FEMA. FEMA is not expected to require any major
revisions and all participating jurisdictions are asked to adopt the plan prior to August 2021.
CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS
The Resolution states that the City of Fort Collins will continue to support the plan and efforts underway to
mitigate the impact of identified hazards on the community and region. It does not commit the City to funds or
resources that are not approved through normal budgeting and business processes.
Agenda Item 12
Item # 12 Page 2
PUBLIC OUTREACH
As the lead, Larimer County held required public meetings in 2020 and the draft plan was made available for
public comment in February of 2021.
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RESOLUTION 2021-076
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
ADOPTING THE 2021 LARIMER COUNTY
MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
WHEREAS, the City has experienced flooding, wildfires, and other natural and human-
caused hazard events that pose risks to public health and safety and may cause serious property
damage; and
WHEREAS, on June 21, 2016, the City Council adopted Resolution 2016-048 approving
and adopting the current Larimer County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (the “2016
Plan”), which expires in 2021; and
WHEREAS, having a current mitigation plan allows participating entities to apply for
pre-disaster and post-disaster mitigation funds, which has been critical to the City in 2020 and
2021.
WHEREAS, the Mitigation Planning Committee, representing twenty-seven different
jurisdictions within Larimer County including the City of Fort Collins, has developed an update
to the 2016 Plan in accordance with FEMA requirements at 44 C.F.R. 201.6 (the “2021 Plan”);
and
WHEREAS, the 2021 Plan updates the list of disaster declarations, hazards data and past
occurrences to include 2016-2020 data regarding wildfire risk, potential consequences of climate
change, flood hazard, and earthquake vulnerability; and
WHEREAS, the 2021 Plan recommends several mitigation actions that will help
minimize and reduce safety threats and damage to private and public property; and
WHEREAS, two public meetings were held on May 28, 2020, and October 13, 2020, to
present draft planning documents and to solicit input during the development of the 2021 Plan;
and
WHEREAS, the 2021 Plan, dated May 2021, is over 319 pages long with over 1000
pages of attachments, so is on file and available in electronic format through the City Clerk’s
office; and
WHEREAS, the draft 2021 Plan was made available for public comment from February
1, 2021 to February 22, 2021 to solicit questions and comments; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends that Council approve and adopt the 2021 Plan as
consistent with the City’s interests and objectives related to hazard prevention and mitigation;
and
WHEREAS, the Council desires to approve and adopt the 2021 Plan.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and
findings contained in the recitals set forth above.
Section 2. That the City Council hereby approves and adopts the 2021 Plan,
replacing and superseding the 2016 Plan, and resolves to support efforts and det erminations
contained in the 2021 Plan.
Section 4. The City Manager is hereby directed to cause the City organization, as
identified in the 2021 Plan, to pursue implementation of the recommended priority actions that
may be assigned to their respective departments/divisions.
Section 5. That any action proposed in the 2021 Plan shall be subject to and
contingent upon budget approval if funding is required.
Section 6. That this Resolution shall not be interpreted as a mandate for any funding
appropriations.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this
20th day of July, A.D. 2021.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Interim City Clerk