TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Annual evaluation of the City of Salem Floodplain Management Plan
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
end
ISSUE:
Annual evaluation of the City of Salem Floodplain Management Plan.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
body
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
On January 26, 2015, Council adopted the City’s Floodplain Management Plan through Resolution 2015-4. The Floodplain Management Plan guides the City’s floodplain management programs and improves public safety for future flood events. The Plan identifies flood hazards throughout the community, evaluates the problems caused by those hazards, reviews possible mitigation activities, and creates an action plan to mitigate those flood hazards.
The Floodplain Management Plan is integral to the City’s participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Community Rating System. The Community Rating System reduces annual flood insurance premiums for property owners citywide. By implementing the Plan’s actions, the City is eligible for additional Community Rating System credits that increases the City’s rating. The higher the City’s rating the greater the flood insurance reduction for property owners.
In order to comply with FEMA’s requirements for the Community Rating System, the Floodplain Management Plan must be evaluated annually by a citizen committee. The annual review must include an overall evaluation of the Plan in addition to a detailed review of Appendix H (Flood Information and Outreach Plan) and Appendix I (Flood Insurance Plan). The Committee, comprised of both City staff and community stakeholders, performed its annual evaluation of the Plan on August 12, 2016. The table at the end of this staff report summarizes the status of the Plan’s action items and projects.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
1. The Floodplain Management Plan Committee is comprised of City staff and community stakeholders who have been involved in the planning efforts for the Floodplain Management Plan and its amendments. City staff members on the committee included representatives from floodplain management, Public Works Department, planning, building and safety, emergency management, and public information. Community stakeholders included a Neighborhood Association chair, floodplain property owners, professional engineers and land surveyors, a local lender, and a local insurance agent. The committee members evaluated the Floodplain Management Plan at their August 12, 2016, meeting and provided insight, feedback, and recommendations for future updates.
2. The Floodplain Management Plan Committee meets the FEMA requirement for a citizen review committee because at least half of its members came from a variety of community stakeholders, including lenders and insurance agents. This information staff report to Council meets the FEMA requirement for the annual report “be submitted to the governing body, released to the media, and made available to the public.”
3. The status of the Floodplain Management Plan’s thirty action items, the Flood Information and Outreach Plan’s nineteen action items, and the Flood Insurance Plan’s five coverage improvement projects, were presented to the committee in three general categories: (a) Completed; (b) Ongoing or in process; and (c) Remaining. The status summary for each category is described below:
Floodplain Management Plan Action Items Completed
|
ID |
Action Item |
Explanation |
|
PA4 |
Identify and remove barriers for implementing low impact development techniques |
Ordinance Bill 34-13 adopted by Council October 28, 2013 |
|
PA5 |
Develop a new Salem Revised Code chapter dedicated solely to stormwater management |
Ordinance Bill 28-13 adopted by Council November 4, 2013 |
|
NR3 |
Develop stormwater quality design and associated maintenance standards for new and redevelopment |
Public Works Director promulgated new stormwater quality design standards under Administrative Rule 109-004 effective January 1, 2014 |
|
PA9 |
Adopt critical routes plan in Transportation System Plan (TSP) |
Resolution 2015-37 adopted by Council August 31, 2015. |
|
PA10 |
Investigate prohibition of first-floor enclosures |
Ordinance Bill 17-15 adopted by Council September 14, 2015 |
Floodplain Management Plan Action Items Ongoing or In Process
|
ID |
Action Item |
Status |
Timeline |
|
PA1 |
Maintain benchmark data |
Benchmarks are maintained by City Surveyor based on project needs |
Ongoing |
|
PA2 |
Inspect and clean streams and stormwater facilities annually |
Identified as RC4, Task 7, of the City’s Stormwater Management Plan |
Ongoing |
|
PA7 |
Provide additional staff training in administering regulations |
Public Works staff includes three Certified Floodplain Managers who receive training to maintain certification |
Ongoing |
|
PA8 |
Coordinate stormwater and flood management regulations with communities and organizations that share Salem’s watersheds |
Stormwater Advisory Committee includes representatives from City of Keizer and Marion County |
Ongoing |
|
PA13 |
Improve floodplain mapping data |
Major flood studies will be performed in Stormwater Master Plan update. Minor flood studies are budgeted based on project needs |
Ongoing |
|
PP1 |
Improve floodplain protection assistance program |
Program featured in outreach project OP1, Appendix H. |
Ongoing |
|
PP2 |
Promote flood insurance |
Flood Insurance Plan adopted by Council January 26, 2015, Resolution 2015-4. |
Ongoing |
|
PP3 |
Acquire easements for public and private stormwater facilities |
Identified as RC2, Task 3, of the City’s Stormwater Management Plan |
Ongoing |
|
NR1 |
Provide grant funding for restoration projects in riparian areas |
Identified as RC8 of the City’s Stormwater Management Plan |
Ongoing |
|
NR4 |
Implement Riparian Action Plan |
Implemented per the report adopted by City Council in September 2009 |
Ongoing |
|
NR7 |
Increase quality and quantity of vegetated cover |
On October 26, 2015, Council adopted Ordinance 23-15 acting SRC 86, “Trees on City property” |
Ongoing |
|
ES1 |
Coordinate emergency response plans for critical facilities |
Implemented through City’s Emergency Management Plan |
Ongoing |
|
ES3 |
Improve flood warning and response |
Identified in part as Multi-Hazard #7 in the National Hazard Mitigation Plan. Flood Operations Response Plan Committee formed in 2016. |
Ongoing |
|
SP1 |
Construct stormwater capital improvement projects |
Implemented through City’s Capital Improvement Program |
Ongoing |
|
PI1 |
Require hazard disclosure in real-estate transactions |
Hazard brochure for real estate companies created. Continued outreach efforts and training with real estate professionals. |
Ongoing |
|
PI2 |
Create and implement a Program for Public Information |
Flood Information and Outreach Plan adopted by Council January 26, 2015, Resolution 2015-4. |
Ongoing |
Floodplain Management Plan Action Items Remaining
|
IDAction ItemStatusTimeline |
|
|
|
|
PA3 |
Establish Stormwater Master Plan policies to reduce peak flows during 100-year events |
Proposed as a future policy in the Stormwater Master Plan |
0 to 2 years |
|
PA6 |
Adopt Oregon model floodplain ordinance |
Awaiting DLCD modification of model ordinance to incorporate Endangered Species Act policies |
0 to 2 years |
|
PA11 |
Investigate FEMA’s Cooperating Technical Partners program |
No activity |
0 to 2 years |
|
PA12 |
Protect buildings from shallow flooding |
To be considered during adoption of model floodplain ordinance (PA6) |
2 to 5 years |
|
NR2 |
Amend Salem Revised Code to implement provisions of the Endangered Species Act as they relate to floodplain development |
Awaiting adoption of state and federal policies based on Program Level Biological Assessment released by National Marine Fisheries Service in February 2013 |
0 to 2 years |
|
NR5 |
Develop and maintain watershed management plans |
Proposed as a future action item in the Stormwater Master Plan |
2 to 5 years |
|
NR6 |
Streamline process to accept land donations to City for natural areas |
No activity |
2 to 5 years |
|
ES2 |
Create post-flood procedures for gathering flood data |
No activity |
2 to 5 years |
|
SP2 |
Include damage assessments from National Hazard Mitigation Plan as a criteria for prioritizing CIP projects |
Proposed as a future policy in the Stormwater Master Plan |
0 to 2 years |
Flood Information and Outreach Plan Action Items
|
ID |
Action Item |
Status |
|
OP1 |
Annual outreach letter |
Mailer sent to floodplain residents and property owners Fall of 2016. |
|
OP2 |
Real estate flyer |
“Flood Hazards” flyer disseminated to local real estate agencies. |
|
OP3 |
Repetitive loss letter |
Letter mailing to repetitive loss properties October 2015. |
|
OP4 |
City newsletter article |
Community Connection article Fall of 2015 |
|
OP5 |
Training for real estate industry professionals |
Training sessions scheduled for Summer of 2016 |
|
OP6 |
Presentation to City board/commission |
Floodplain Management Plan Presentation to Planning Commission January 27th 2016 |
|
OP7 |
Presentation to watershed council |
Claggett Creek Watershed Council presentation February 2016 |
|
OP8 |
Presentation to neighborhood association |
SESNA Meeting in January 2016, SEMCA Meeting September 2016 |
|
OP9 |
Pamphlets at Permit Application Center |
Pamphlets available at PAC |
|
OP10 |
CERT Training |
November 2015 and February 2016 |
|
OP11 |
Website Information |
Updated October 2016 |
|
FRP1 |
Media kit during flood event |
Updated 2015-16 |
|
FRP2 |
Media kit after flood event |
Updated 2015-16 |
|
FRP3 |
Social media messages during flood event |
Updated 2015-16 |
|
FRP4 |
Social messages after flood event |
Updated 2015-16 |
|
FRP5 |
Switch City web page during emergency |
Ongoing |
|
FRP6 |
Radio PSAs after flood event |
Updated 2015-16 |
|
FRP7 |
Regional messages during flood event |
Updated 2015-16 |
|
FRP8 |
Regional messages after flood event |
Updated 2015-16 |
Flood Insurance Plan Action Items
|
IDAction ItemStatus |
|
|
|
CPI |
City newsletter article |
Quarterly City of Salem Community Connections Articles |
|
CP2 |
Stakeholder training session |
Training sessions scheduled for Summer of 2016 |
|
CP3 |
Presentation to neighborhood association |
SESNA Meeting in January 2016, SEMCA Meeting September 2016 |
|
CP4 |
Real estate/property management flyer |
“Flood Hazards” flyer disseminated to local real estate agents and property management companies. |
|
CP5 |
Project involving Mayor/Council |
Council work session on July 18th, 2016 “Stormwater Master Planning and Flood Risk Reduction Work Session”. This work session meets FEMA criteria because it was publicized, made open to the public, and not held during a regularly scheduled Council meeting. |
4. The Floodplain Management Plan Committee reviewed the status report described above and did not recommend any modifications to the Action Items and Coverage Improvement Projects.
Glenn J. Davis, PE, CFM
Chief Development Engineer
Attachments:
September 12, 2016