Fincastle council adopts updated Hazard Mitigation Plan to qualify for FEMA and VDEM funding

On Feb. 12, 2026, the Town of Fincastle Town Council voted to adopt an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan after a presentation from Amanda McGee of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission.

The plan, presented by McGee, summarizes local hazards and recommended mitigation measures for the town. Council members were told that formal adoption of the plan makes Fincastle eligible to apply for post-disaster mitigation and recovery grants administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). A copy of the plan and related materials is available on the BOCO website, according to the minutes.

The council’s adoption was recorded as a formal resolution included in the meeting minutes. The minutes do not list a motion mover or a recorded roll-call for the resolution vote; they state only that the council voted to approve the plan and passed a resolution adopting it as presented.

Why it matters: adopting a hazard mitigation plan is a prerequisite for many federal and state mitigation grant programs. With the plan in place, the town can pursue funding to repair, harden, or relocate infrastructure after disasters and to implement projects intended to reduce future risk.

Next steps noted in the minutes include the town retaining the adopted plan as a record in its minutes and making it available through the county website; the minutes do not specify an implementation timeline or assigned departments for individual mitigation projects.