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Pinole Adopts City Annex to Contra Costa Local Hazard Mitigation Plan to Preserve FEMA Grant Eligibility
Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted a resolution incorporating the City of Pinole annex into the updated 2024 Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, a required step to remain eligible for FEMA hazard mitigation funding programs such as HMGP, BRIC and FMA.
Pinole — The City Council voted May 20 to adopt the City of Pinole Annex to the 2024 Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, a move staff said is needed to maintain eligibility for federal mitigation grant programs.
"The local hazard mitigation plan is a vital tool for identifying our risk and natural disasters," city staff said during the public hearing. The annex documents Pinole’s hazard profile—earthquake, urban and river-based flooding, landslide, sea-level rise, wildfire and severe-weather threats—and outlines mitigation strategies and priorities tailored to the city.
City staff explained the two-volume structure of the county-wide plan: Volume 1 is a county-level assessment and mitigation strategy; Volume 2 contains jurisdiction annexes with local data and priorities. Adopting the annex does not itself obligate the city to a specific project, staff said, but it is a prerequisite to apply for FEMA hazard-mitigation assistance, the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and Flood Mitigation Assistance. The city would also perform periodic annual check-ins and participate in the five-year update cycle required by state and federal emergency-management agencies.
The staff presentation noted public outreach in 2024 that included events such as community festivals, a fire‑station open house and presentations to regional groups. Adopting the annex also supports the city’s ability to coordinate with regional partners on mitigation and resiliency planning.
The council adopted the resolution by roll-call vote. Staff said the plan is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under standard planning-study exemptions and that adopting the annex has no immediate fiscal impact; it preserves eligibility for future mitigation funding.
City staff will follow up in the coming months with the required implementation steps: participation in the countywide steering committee, annual progress checks and tracking opportunities to apply for competitive mitigation grants.
Speakers included city planning and emergency-management staff who presented the annex, and council members who noted the outreach and the plan’s role in enabling grant applications.
