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Assembly reviews draft update to borough multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan; staff to submit for state and FEMA review
Summary
Community Development staff presented the updated Kodiak Island Borough multi‑jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, which follows Alaska Division of Homeland Security and FEMA guidance and includes public outreach; adoption will allow submission to state and FEMA reviewers.
Community Development Director and staff briefed the assembly on an updated multi‑jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (resolution FY25‑14) at the Feb. 27 meeting. The plan updates the borough's 2019 mitigation plan, includes a public participation process (in‑person and online meetings, survey and a 30+ day comment period) and follows guidance from the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Director Chris (surname not specified) explained that a hazard mitigation plan differs from an emergency operations plan: mitigation focuses on reducing long‑term risk and vulnerability (for example, shoreline studies, tsunami signage, structural analysis), while emergency operations plans address response. The plan identifies 11 hazard types relevant to the borough, provides hazard profiles and vulnerability analyses, and sets out mitigation action tables and a plan‑maintenance program (annual reviews and post‑event updates).
Once adopted by the assembly, staff will distribute the plan to cities within the borough and submit it to the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and FEMA for review and approval. Director Chris said federal approval is required for borough eligibility to apply for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds, citing a recent grant used for hydrology and hydraulics studies on Russian River and Sergeant Creek as an example.
Assemblymembers asked whether the plan covered all villages and municipalities in the archipelago; staff confirmed the plan is multi‑jurisdictional and can be used by jurisdictions that adopt it. Members also discussed grant‑writing capacity and whether additional staff or outside grant‑writing support should be budgeted to increase success at securing mitigation grants. No formal adoption vote was recorded at this meeting; staff requested assembly adoption of the resolution to proceed with state and federal review.
