To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): County Counsel, Emergency Management, Public Infrastructure
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jeff DuVall
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Ratification of proclamation of local emergency due to February 2025 atmospheric river storm event.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Resolution ratifying the proclamation of local emergency in the Sonoma County Operational area due to the February 2025 winter storm.
B) Authorize the County Executive Officer to approve the use of General Fund contingency up to $350,000 to engage outside services for emergency protective measures, should these be needed before the next Board of Supervisors meeting.
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Executive Summary:
This item requests the Board of Supervisors adopt a resolution ratifying the proclamation of local emergency by the Director of Emergency Services due to the extreme February 2025 winter storm. Sonoma County Code Chapter 10, Article 1, Section 10-5(b) provides authority for the Director of Emergency Services to issue a proclamation of local emergency if the Board of Supervisors is not in session, subject to ratification by the Board within seven days. On February 4, 2025, the Director of Emergency Services proclaimed the Existence of a Local Emergency.
Staff recommends the Board of Supervisors authorize the County Executive Officer to use, if needed,
general fund contingency of up to $350,000 to engage outside services to support emergency protective, should these be needed before the next Board of Supervisors meeting. If authorized funds are programmed, staff will report their use as part of future board reports anticipated to continue local emergency proclamation.
Discussion:
Beginning on January 31, 2025, heavy rainfall as a result of a category 4 atmospheric river storm brought over 6.50 inches of rain over five days, as recorded at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport. Other areas of the county received up to fifteen inches of rain in that same time period. On and around February 6, 2025, another inch of additional rainfall was received in the Sonoma County area.
The accumulated rainfall and associated stormwater runoff during the February 2025 atmospheric river storm event (“Event”) have resulted in severe ground saturation, unstable hillsides, debris flows, landslides, downed trees, flooding, road blockages and road washouts/slip-outs, evacuations, and power outages in multiple parts of Sonoma County. These and other Event-related conditions have significantly impacted County and community operations and resources, and require the provision of additional public safety, health and emergency services. On Westside Road in the Hacienda area of the lower Russian River, a hillside collapsed, and a house was washed away into the river. Several creeks and streams and the lower Russian River reached and were predicted to reach the action/monitor stage, requiring emergency protective measures. The lower Russian River crested at “moderate” and “major” flood stages on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.
Due to these ongoing conditions of extreme peril to safety of persons and property, the Director of Emergency Services issued a Proclamation of Existence of Local Emergency in the Sonoma County Operational Area on February 4, 2025, due to the Event. The Sonoma County Emergency Operations Center was activated Wednesday, February 5, 2025, morning.
Under Sonoma County Code Section 10-5(b), proclamations of local emergency by the Director of Emergency Services are subject to Board of Supervisors ratification within seven days of issuance. Ratification of the Director’s February 4, 2025, local emergency proclamation will extend the emergency response authority under applicable laws and make available to the County/Operational Area, state, and local mutual aid, and allow for any State and Federal emergency funding, if it is made available.
The proposed ratification Resolution also gives the CEO authority to make decisions regarding pay for the County workforce should impacts from the Event on County facilities require directing county workforce to execute protective and/or recovery measures and services.
Also, with regard to the County’s road system, the Director of Sonoma Public Infrastructure (SPI) is utilizing Road Commissioner contracting authority for emergency repairs necessitated by the Event. When emergency road repairs are necessitated by the imminence or occurrence of a landslide, flood, storm damage, or other emergency and the public interest and necessity demand immediate action to safeguard life, health, or property, applicable law (including pursuant to Public Contract Code Sections 22030 and as authorized under Sonoma County Code Section 2-357) allows the Director to contract for all necessary emergency work, including for all needed materials and services, without advertising for bids. Work and contracts under this authority shall be limited to so long as the public interest and necessity demand immediate action to safeguard life, health, or property, and no longer.
Based on SPI’s initial evaluation, multiple sites require immediate attention to re-open roads and/or prevent further deterioration and potential loss of roads due to the Event. One damaged site is on West Soda Rock Lane and several other sites or on and around Westside Road in the Hacienda area. These roads serve not only as primary access points for residents and services but also as critical evacuation routes. An immediate response is essential to repair or stabilize these roadways to safeguard life, health, and property, and before additional precipitation exacerbates the damage. Preliminary damage estimates to roadways alone are $4 million and assessments continue.
Staff will be available to provide current conditions and responses at the meeting.
Prior Board Actions: None
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The Operational Area is conducting an initial damage estimate (IDE) of damage to public infrastructure to assess damages. The request for general fund contingency will assist if needed county departments to preform emergency assessments of damages to public infrastructure in next steps for long term infrastructure repairs.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Resolution Ratifying Proclamation of Local Emergency
Director of Emergency Services February 4, 2025, Proclamation of Local Emergency
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None