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Scituate consultant previews expanded hazard mitigation and flood-management plan ahead of three-week public review
Summary
Town consultant Kim Jacobs presented a draft Hazard Mitigation and Flood Management Plan explaining why flood management was added, how the plan ties to existing town plans, and the benefits of FEMA’s CRS program; a formal three-week public review will run Nov. 20–Dec. 12 with a hearing at the Dec. 12 council meeting.
Kim Jacobs, the project consultant, told the Town of Scituate Town Council the town’s draft Hazard Mitigation and Flood Management Plan has been expanded to give greater emphasis to flood risk and to align the town with FEMA programs that can lower residents’ insurance premiums. “We’ve been working on the hazard mitigation and flood management plan for several months now,” Jacobs said, describing the project’s goals and outreach.
Why it matters: Jacobs said integrating flood management into the hazard-mitigation planning process positions Scituate to pursue points in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System (CRS), which can reduce premiums for homeowners. “By doing this, by expanding this plan, we’re able to tap into that program and get quite a few points, which puts the town in a position to get a decrease in the premiums for your residents,” Jacobs said, noting the plan would initially yield a 5% premium reduction for NFIP policyholders if the town meets the required threshold.
Details and outreach: Jacobs outlined the advisory committee membership — including Chief Robinson (chair), Karen Beatty, Dennis Abby, and engineer Kirk Joseph — and said the plan builds on recent local planning (including the 2024 comprehensive plan and CRB workshop). The project included extensive public outreach: a project web page, three Valley Breeze articles, social media posts, posters, and a public opinion survey that received 267 responses. Jacobs said comments that generated actionable items were compiled into an appendix and incorporated into the draft action plan.
Next steps: The council was told the draft will be posted for a three-week public review period, Nov. 20 to Dec. 12, with a public hearing at the council’s Dec. 12 meeting. At that meeting the council will be asked to adopt the plan and authorize Jacobs to submit it to DEM/WEMA and FEMA for review and approval. If FEMA approves, the plan would be effective for five years.
What remains unresolved: Jacobs said WEMA/FEMA review may raise questions; if so, the town will respond before final approval. Council members and the public were invited to review the posted draft and submit written comments during the review period.
