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County to add 11 mitigation actions to hazard mitigation plan ahead of HMGP deadline
Summary
Staff presented an 11-item addendum to Buncombe County's five-year hazard mitigation plan — including additional stream gauges, warning sirens, weather stations, landslide monitoring and a multi-year public education campaign — and asked the board to adopt the addendum for submission to state and FEMA before the Dec. 15 grant deadline.
County staff presented a proposed addendum to Buncombe County's five-year hazard mitigation plan that adds 11 mitigation actions designed to strengthen early warning and community preparedness following Tropical Storm Helene.
Kevin Madsen (introduced by the chair) and the presenter outlined actions focused on prevention, property protection and emergency services. Key elements include plans for additional early-warning infrastructure (staff cited adding up to 22 stream gauges, more warning sirens and weather stations), portable landslide-monitoring equipment targeted to areas at geological risk, and a multi-hazard public education campaign with a target completion date in 2029.
Staff emphasized that inclusion of the addendum in the county-adopted plan increases competitiveness for Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding; the HMGP application deadline staff cited is Dec. 15. The presenter noted the addendum was prepared with county planning teams and a Tetra Tech contractor and that Emergency Services would be the lead department on the listed mitigation actions. When commissioners asked about stream gauges and ownership, staff said many gauges are federally owned (for example by USGS) and that the addendum seeks county-owned gauges done in partnership with North Carolina Emergency Management with maintenance arrangements to be determined.
Action requested: staff asked to add the HMP addendum to the consent agenda so the adopted addendum can be forwarded to state reviewers and FEMA in time for the HMGP application window. Commissioners agreed to add the item to tonight's consent agenda.
Next steps: staff will add the addendum to the consent agenda and, following board adoption, will submit the addendum to state reviewers and FEMA as part of the HMGP application process.
