Northampton planners present updated hazard mitigation plan, highlight flood and heat risks

Mimi Kaplan, a senior planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, presented Northampton’s draft update to its hazard mitigation plan on Feb. 7, saying the revision identifies flooding and extreme temperatures as the highest risks for the city and catalogs projects to reduce those vulnerabilities.

The plan update, compiled with committee input, maps critical infrastructure and overlays current and preliminary floodplain data. "Once the city has an approved plan, approved by FEMA, and adopts the plan, then, Northampton is eligible to apply for funding from FEMA," Kaplan said, noting the draft and two large-format maps are available for public review on the Planning & Sustainability webpage.

Kaplan told attendees the committee used a FEMA-based methodology to score hazards by likely area affected, probability in the next five years and potential consequences. The committee rated flooding and extreme heat as the top hazards. Kaplan cited First Street climate projections for localized flood and heat risk and described parts of the city with stronger urban heat island effects.

The presentation lists completed, ongoing and proposed mitigation actions. Past and ongoing efforts include work on the Connecticut River Flood Control Facility and FEMA accreditation of the flood control system, upgrades to municipal backup power sources, and wastewater treatment plant projects tied to the city’s 2016 comprehensive wastewater management plan. Kaplan also noted reconstruction of an ice pond outlet to reduce flooding on Rocky Hill Road was completed with FEMA funding.

New and continuing priorities in the draft plan include upgrades to Connecticut and Mill River levees and pump stations, permitting and design work for dam improvements, continued wastewater plant upgrades, and restoration/permitting work for the Rocky Hill Greenway. The plan proposes installing solar photovoltaic panels and battery storage at Smith Vocational High School — a Red Cross–designated regional shelter — to ensure shelter power resilience.

During questions, a resident who identified himself as Josh raised concerns about levee certification issued using older (1978) flood maps versus recently released preliminary maps and whether that could affect benefit-cost analyses for funding. An unnamed technical staff member replied that the updated floodplain changes were mostly minor, would not have caused levee overtopping and that the levee certification remains valid.

The draft plan is open for public comment; Kaplan said she will incorporate feedback before the plan is submitted to MEMA. The plan’s posting on the Planning & Sustainability site includes contact information for staff to submit comments.