Battalion Chief David Larson briefs council on county hazard mitigation plan; Sandy annex returns for adoption next week

Battalion Chief David Larson told the Sandy City Council that the Salt Lake County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is required under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and that local adoption is necessary to preserve eligibility for FEMA reimbursements after a disaster.

"The only way that we can get any reimbursement monies from FEMA is if we've adopted this plan," Larson said, describing the two-volume package (a countywide volume and a Sandy City annex) and a county-led approach that combined 26 participating entities. Larson said the planning team identified and assessed 19 natural and human-caused hazards and conducted risk and vulnerability assessments using historical data and modeling.

Councilmember Cindy Sharkey asked who prepared Sandy's annex; Larson said city staff and county partners compiled the content and that the work has been ongoing since early last year. Sharkey noted that the plan ranked earthquake as the highest hazard above wildfire; Larson explained the ranking reflects both the magnitude of potential damages and the probability of occurrence, and that the city currently places greater operational emphasis on wildfire preparedness because wildfire risk is both high in consequence and probability.

The council pressed staff about floodplain mapping and insurance participation. Larson and a flood-control staff member said map updates are ongoing, FEMA notifies affected property owners when maps change, and the city pursues local projects that can prompt map revisions for specific properties. Larson acknowledged the plan’s data showed only 45 active National Flood Insurance Program policies in the dataset and said he did not have the total number of eligible properties available in the presentation.

Larson said the county will require evidence of adoption from local jurisdictions for state and FEMA final approval and that staff will return with a draft resolution next week for formal council adoption.

Why it matters: adopting the plan preserves Sandy’s ability to seek federal disaster reimbursements and guides priorities for mitigation projects across the city.