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Douglas County posts draft hazard mitigation plan for month‑long public review; state and FEMA timelines may be delayed
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Summary
Douglas County has posted a draft Hazard Mitigation Plan for public review through April 6; presenters said the draft will go to the state and FEMA after public comments, but a Colorado Emergency Management specialist warned a federal shutdown could lengthen FEMA review.
Douglas County opened a month‑long public review of its draft Hazard Mitigation Plan and posted the document, related volumes and a survey link for feedback.
Jessica Stokes of Tetra Tech, the consultant team leading the update, walked attendees through the plan’s structure, saying volume 1 contains the county profile, risk assessment and mitigation strategy; volume 2 houses jurisdictional annexes with local mitigation actions; and volume 3 contains appendices and templates, including a confidential appendix that lists critical facility locations for restricted access. The draft plan is available on the county website and the public comment form closes April 6 at 11:59 p.m., Stokes said.
The plan timelines Stokes outlined call for submission to the state in May, submittal to FEMA in July and completion of plan deliverables (including jurisdictional adoption) by November. “We are right on track,” Stokes said, while urging reviewers to use chapter links to find specific information in the 18‑chapter volume.
Jason Humble, a mitigation planning specialist with the Colorado Emergency Management Division, told the meeting that a federal government shutdown had limited communication with FEMA reviewers and could extend the typical 30–45 day review window. “We’re being impacted right now because of the… federal government shutdown,” Humble said, adding that review queues have grown and that the state could provide adoption‑letter language for jurisdictions concerned about scheduling.
Stokes said the team will incorporate public feedback and work with the state and FEMA to address required revisions. Once the plan meets FEMA requirements and receives federal approval, participating jurisdictions will adopt the Hazard Mitigation Plan through their local resolution processes and begin implementing identified mitigation projects.
The presentation includes guidance on where to find hazard profiles, the methodology behind the Hazus risk assessment, capability assessments, and the plan‑maintenance schedule that explains how the plan will be monitored and updated over its five‑year cycle. Stokes encouraged attendees who need help finding specific items to use the survey or email her directly for assistance.
The county asked reviewers to focus feedback on whether mitigation actions meet community needs, whether the plan contains new or useful information, and what could be improved. The draft presentation and survey link were posted in the meeting chat and on Douglas County’s website for public access.
