To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma, County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Milan Nevajda (707) 565-2336; Lisa Hulette (707) 565-3709, Christel Querijero (707) 565-7071
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
title
Acceptance of Planning Grant Awards from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution authorizing acceptance of the following two planning grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and allocation of $133,332.50 from the Resiliency local cost share set aside for:
1. Creation of a Sonoma County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, total project cost $330,330, FEMA award of $249,997.50 and local cost share of $83,332.50.
2. Update to the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (Sonoma County Fire Plan Update), total project cost $200,000, FEMA award of $150,000 and local cost share of $50,000.
3. Sign the FEMA Obligation Reports for the Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan and the Sonoma County Fire Plan Update.
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Executive Summary:
In February 2018, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors directed Permit Sonoma to seek grant funding through FEMA to improve wildfire, seismic, flood, and other hazards resiliency in the County. Permit Sonoma, in collaboration with the County Administrator’s Office, applied for four grants upon that direction as part of a hazard mitigation program. On August 15, 2019, FEMA notified Permit Sonoma that the County was selected to receive funding for two grant awards: the Multi‐Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan ($249,997.50) and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Update ($150,000). The performance period for each grant is 36-months commencing upon execution of the applicable funding agreements. Permit Sonoma is seeking Board approval to accept the FEMA grants.
Discussion:
Source of Funding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides funding to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a Major Disaster declaration. As a result of the declaration of major federal disaster DR-4344 due to the fall 2017 wildfires in Northern and Southern California, the State of California and Sonoma County became eligible for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding. Authorized under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and administered by FEMA, HMGP was created to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters. The HMGP program is administered by the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). The goal of the HMGP is to develop mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. Proposals submitted under the HMGP must involve projects that reduce or eliminate losses from future disasters and provide a long-term solution.
Background. Between 1964 and 2015 Sonoma County experienced 18 major wildfires that destroyed nearly 2,000 structures. In October 2017, the “Sonoma Complex Fire” (representing the Nuns, Tubbs, and Pocket Fires) claimed 24 lives, destroyed nearly 5,300 homes, and burned more than 110,000 acres in Sonoma and surrounding counties (Sonoma County Recovery and Resiliency Framework, December 2018). The “Sonoma Complex Fire” burned in nearly identical footprints to 1964’s Hanley Fire and Nuns Canyon Fire. The Sonoma Complex Fire reminds us that new methods are needed to reduce the loss of life and property damage from wildfire and other hazards.
The County’s primary document for addressing wildfire risk is the countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), adopted September 20, 2016. Considering lessons learned in the response to the Sonoma Complex Fire, and a thorough review of the CWPP, staff identified a need and opportunity to enhance the county’s Wildfire Protection Plan. A key area of need is to update the plan with a robust analysis of current data to reflect changes in the physical and human environment following the Sonoma Complex Fire.
Wildfires are not the only hazards that place Sonoma County’s residents, resources, and economy at risk: the entire county’s population faces risk and vulnerability to earthquake activity. The risk is greatest near fault zones. Short of ten percent of the unincorporated Sonoma County population, or about 13,800 people, live close to the Rodger’s Creek or San Andreas faults in areas with the highest probability of violent shaking. A projected magnitude 7.3 earthquake on the Rodger’s Creek Fault would cause an estimated $29.2 billion in capital stock losses, including structures, contents, inventory, and non‐ structure damage (Sonoma County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, April 2017).
Sonoma County mitigates earthquake risk along fault zones by mapping affected areas and requiring special studies in these areas so that mitigation and prevention are achieved when it comes to structures on or near identified active faults. Mitigation actions can include the addition of construction requirements to increase seismic resilience and geotechnical and structural designs to reduce damage and the potential for loss of life in the event of a significant seismic event. Recent studies have shown that active fault traces in Sonoma County extend beyond the previously-identified Earthquake Fault Zones (EFZ’s).
Planning Projects. On February 2, 2018, the Board directed Permit Sonoma to submit funding applications for projects that are included in the County’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, adopted by Resolution No. 17-0168 of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on April 25, 2017, and subsequently approved by the FEMA on May 4, 2017. Permit Sonoma applied for several grants in support of a hazard mitigation program. On August 9, 2019, FEMA notified Permit Sonoma that FEMA awarded the following two of the grants to the County:
1. Multi‐Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMGP#4344-482-54P). Updates the existing Sonoma County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, and as of December 2018, the City of Santa Rosa, the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, the Sonoma Resource Conservation District and the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District have signed Letters of Intent to participate in this process; all of the cities and towns across Sonoma jurisdictional boundaries will be encouraged to join. The project enabled by the grant will help shift the County’s mitigation efforts from the Local to a Multi‐Jurisdiction level, thereby enabling a comprehensive approach to risk reduction and limiting duplicated efforts to maximize efficiency. The total project cost is $333,330; $249,998 is covered by the grant and local cost share of $83,333.
2. Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update (HMGP #4344-533-56P). Provides critical updates to the current Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and integrates the Plan into the County’s General Plan Safety Element. The updated CWPP will reflect the partnership between the Sonoma County Fire Preparedness Division and Fire Safe Sonoma, Inc. The updated CWPP will be developed collaboratively with the local Fire Safe Councils and Fire Safe Sonoma, Inc. and community residents. It will also include a hazard assessment and address structural hardening to prevent wildfire ignition. The total project cost is $200,000; $150,000 is covered by the grant and local cost share totals $50,000.
To accept the awarded grants, the Board must authorize the County Administrator’s Office to sign the Obligation Report from FEMA dated August 2019. (i.e., Att2 Sonoma County Operational Plan Update and Att3 8-9-2019 Sonoma County Fire Plan Update 8-9-19). The recommended Resolution (Att1 Planning Grants Resolution) then authorizes the Permit Sonoma Director to act as the County’s agent to conduct all negotiations and to execute and submit all documents, including but not limited to applications, agreements, and payment requests that may be necessary to complete the FEMA grant process and the project. Work will be conducted by a combination of Permit Sonoma staff and consultants. All consultants will be competitively procured in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and County policies.
Prior Board Actions:
February 2, 2018: The Board authorized Permit Sonoma to apply for FEMA HMGP funding
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 19-20 Adopted |
FY20-21 Projected |
FY 21-22 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$399,998 |
$100,000 |
$33,332 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$399,998 |
$100,000 |
$33,332 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$133,332 |
|
|
|
State/Federal |
$266,666 |
$100,000 |
$33,332 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$399,998 |
$100,000 |
$33,332 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The County match for HMGP projects is 25% of total project costs. A summary of costs for the two awarded projects are shown below. The source of funding for the County’s $133,332 match is the General Fund Reserve Recovery and Resiliency set aside fund, which your Board approved as part of the FY 2018-19 budget adoption process. General Fund Reserve Recovery and Resiliency set aside funds will be transferred, and offsetting revenue and expenditure appropriations for these grant projects will be appropriated as part of the FY 2019-20 first quarter consolidated budget adjustment process.
|
|
Total Project Cost |
Grant Request (75%) |
County Match (25%) |
|
Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan HMGP 4434-482-54P |
$333,330 |
$249,998 |
$83,332 |
|
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (Community Wildfire Protection Plan) Update HMGP 4434-533-56P |
$200,000 |
$150,000 |
$50,000 |
|
Total |
$533,330 |
$399,998 |
$133,332 |
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
No new positions are required for the acceptance of these grant agreements; the hours noted below are incorporated in the total cost of the projects.
• Senior Environmental Specialist: 1,800 hours
• Accountant III: 500 hours
• Administrative Assistant: 200 hours
• Planner III: 300 hours
• Engineering Geologist: 300 hours
• Senior GIS Analyst: 300 hours
• Public Information Officer: 100 hours
• Senior Fire Inspector: 200 hours
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Planning Grants Resolution
Attachment 2 - Sonoma County Operational Plan Update
Attachment 3 - Sonoma County Fire Plan Update
Attachment 4 - Staff Budget FY1920
Attachment 5 - HMGP Application Status
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Grant Applications to the California Office of Emergency Services:
1. Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan Update and
2. Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update.