HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - R-11-002 - 01/31/2011 - ADOPTING MCH CO NATURAL HAZARDS MITIGATION PLANR-11-002
RESOLUTION
ADOPTION OF THE MCHENRY COUNTY
NATURAL HAZARDS MITIGATION PLAN
WHEREAS, McHenry County is subject to flooding, severe summer and winter
storms, tornadoes, drought, and other natural hazards that can damage property, close
businesses, disrupt traffic, and present a public health and safety hazard; and
WHEREAS, the McHenry County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee has
prepared a recommended the McHenry County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan that reviews
the County's options to protect people and reduce damage from hazards; and
WHEREAS, the McHenry County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan was developed as
a multi -jurisdictional plan has been submitted and approved by Illinois Emergency
Management Agency (IEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and
WHEREAS, the recommended McHenry County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan has
been widely circulated for review by residents and federal, state, and regional agencies and
has been supported by those reviewers; and
WHEREAS the preparation and adoption of a community mitigation plan is a
requirement of FEMA in order for McHenry County to be eligible for federal mitigation funds
under Section 104 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (42 USC 5165), and under 44 CFR
(Code of Federal Regulations) Part 201.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the McHenry County Natural
Hazards Mitigation Plan, December 2010, is hereby adopted as an official plan of the City of
McHenry and;
BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED, that Douglas Martin and Ryan Schwalenberg are
hereby appointed as the City's representatives on the McHenry County Hazard Mitigation
Planning Committee and they will keep the City appraised of the mitigation action items
undertaken by or reported to the McHenry County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the McHenry County Natural Hazards
Mitigation Plan identifies a series of action items. The following action items are hereby
assigned to the City of McHenry as shown below, or to the McHenry County Hazard
Mitigation Planning Committee or department of the McHenry County government. The City
of McHenry shall be responsible for the implementation of the action item within the City as
staff resources and funding permit:
Action Item 1: Plan Adoption — City Council City of McHenry
Action Item 2: Continuation of Mitigation Committee - McHenry County Board.
Action Item 3: Plan Monitoring and Maintenance - McHenry County Hazard Mitigation
Planning Committee.
Action Item 4: Watershed Studies - McHenry County Planning and Development
Department.
Action Item 5: Expand Stream Gaging Network - McHenry County Planning and
Development Department.
Action Item 6: Stream Maintenance Programs — City of McHenry.
Action Item 7: Prohibited Waterway Dumping Ordinances — City of McHenry.
Action Item 8: Mitigation of Public Infrastructure — City of McHenry.
Action Item 9: Continued NFIP Compliance —City of McHenry.
Action Item 10: Repetitive Loss Areas Study - McHenry County Planning and Development
Department with cooperation of the City of McHenry.
Action Item 11: Identification of Floodplain Structures - McHenry County Planning and
Development and GIS Division.
Action Item 12: Investigation of Critical Facilities - McHenry County Emergency
Management Agency and GIS Division
Action Item 13: Critical Facilities Design with Natural Hazards Protection (Flood Protection)
— City of McHenry.
Action Item 14: Mitigation of Floodplain Properties - Property Protection Projects — City of
McHenry.
Action Item 15: Urban Forestry - Participation in Tree City USA — City of McHenry.
Action Item 16: Strengthen Building Codes and Code Enforcement Training — City of
McHenry
Action Item 17: Seek Mitigation Grant Funding for Additional Mitigation Planning and Cost
Beneficial Projects — City of McHenry.
Action Item 18: Implementation of the Water Resources Protection Action Plan — McHenry
County Water Resources Department.
Action Item 19: Development of a Public Information Strategy - McHenry County Hazard
Mitigation Planning Committee.
Action Item 20: Property Protection References — City of McHenry And;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Clerk is hereby requested to distribute
a certified copy of this Resolution to the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency
Director and IEMA.
ADOPTED this the 3 1 " day of January, 2011.
Susan E Low, Mayor
Ja 'cc C,Jone , Cit Clerk
McHenry County
Natural Hazards
Mitigation Plan
Executive Summary
McHenry County Hazard Mitigation
Planning Committee
December 2010
Planning Assistance Provided By:
Moi_:Ly O TO OL E
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
Executive Summary
Overview
The McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
(Plan) identifies activities that can be undertaken by
both the public and the private sectors to reduce
safety hazards, health hazards, and property damage caused by natural hazards. The Plan
focuses on the identified major natural hazards facing McHenry County: floods, severe
summer and winter storms, tornadoes, extreme cold and heat events, and drought. The
most recent natural disasters in McHenry County, Illinois, that received federal disaster
declarations were winter storms in 1999 and 2001, and flooding in 1986 and 1993. These
disasters impacted people, property owners and businesses in the County.
The development and adoption of a natural hazard mitigation plan allow communities to be
eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hazard mitigation grants
program funds. This Plan fulfills the federal mitigation planning requirements for FEMA's
Pre -Disaster Mitigation Program, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and Flood Mitigation
Assistance Program, and is eligible for credit under the FEMA National Flood Insurance
Program's Community Rating System. Hazard mitigation grant funds are made available by
the FEMA through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA).
This Plan was prepared by the McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Committee,
created by a resolution of the McHenry County Board on November 18, 2008. The
Mitigation Committee's members include representatives of County offices, interested
municipalities, townships, and agencies.
McHenry County and the natural hazards that can impact the County have been assessed in
Chapters 1 and 2. Goals and guidelines established by the Mitigation Committee are the
focus of Chapter 3. Six mitigation strategies are the subjects of Chapters 4 through 9:
— Preventive — Resource Protection
— Property protection — Emergency services
— Structural projects — Public information
Executive Summary ES-1 Agency Review Draft June 2010
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
These mitigation strategies were examined to identify current mitigation efforts being
implemented throughout the County, to identify additional efforts that can be undertaken,
and to make recommendations for future actions. Chapter 10 presents the Action Plan for
implementation of this Plan. The Action Plan contains specific action items taken from the
Plan's numerous recommendations. The Action Plan also includes items for plan
maintenance.
Introduction
McHenry County is located 35 miles northwest of downtown Chicago in northeastern
Illinois. The County Seat is Woodstock, Illinois. Political jurisdictions include 17 townships
and 30 municipalities. McHenry County has a land area of approximately 611 square miles
which makes it the 34th largest county in Illinois. In 2000, McHenry County had a population
of 260,077, the sixth most populated county in Illinois. McHenry County has had the
highest growth rate of the Chicago metropolitan area counties in northeastern Illinois, or
3.4 percent a year. By 2030, the County
The Planning Process
SIM I
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Coordinate with Agencies &. organizations
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1
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Evaluate the Problem
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Set costa
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Review Mitigation strategies
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population is expected to increase by nearly 73
percent. The 2000 Census estimated that there
are approximately 92,908 housing units in
McHenry County. The labor force is about 140,203
people.
Over 60 percent of the County is currently in
agricultural land use. Though residential,
commercial and other development areas are
expected to grow, much of the agricultural land
conversion is expected to go towards
environmentally sensitive areas and open space.
As McHenry County grows, more and more people
will be vulnerable to natural hazards. Both the
consideration of the expected change in land use,
as described in the McHenry County 2030
Comprehensive Plan, and population growth were
considered throughout the development of this
Plan.
The Hazard Mitigation Committee followed a 10-
step planning process, based on guidance and
requirements of the FEMA. The Mitigation
Executive Summary ES-2 December 2010
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
Committee met six times from November 2009 to May 2010. The Mitigation Committee
reviewed the hazards and their effects on people and property, considered a variety of ways
to reduce and prevent damage, and recommended the most appropriate and feasible
measures for implementation. During the development of this Plan, McHenry County
critical facilities were categorized and mapped by the McHenry County GIs department.
With the assistance of Mitigation Committee members, over 1,400 critical facilities were
identified. Existing plans and programs were reviewed during the planning process. It
should be underscored that this Plan does not replace other planning efforts, such as
community comprehensive plans, the McHenry County Comprehensive Stormwater
Management Plan, or the McHenry County Water Resources Protection Action Plan. This
Mitigation Plan complements those efforts.
The public was invited to participate through several concurrent means, including the
Mitigation Committee meetings, contact with Mitigation Committee members and their
organizations, press releases, newsletter articles, and the McHenry County website. A
public meeting was held on May 26, 2010 at the McHenry County Administration Building in
Woodstock.
Natural Hazard Risk Assessment
The Mitigation Committee reviewed all potential natural hazards that could impact
McHenry County, and evaluated them based on what causes them, their likelihood of
occurring, and their impact on people, property, critical facilities, and the local economy.
The information was based on available technical studies and reports by the participating
agencies and communities on their past experiences. The table below shows the natural
hazards that are the focus of this Plan and provides a summary of the hazards' potential
impact on McHenry County's health and safety, total assets, and economy from the risk
assessment.
Summary of Impact on Natural Hazards
Impact on Health Impact on
Impact on
Economic
Hazard
and Safety
Buildings
Critical Facilities
Impact
Tornado
High
High
Moderate
Moderate
Floods
Moderate
High
Moderate
High
Severe Winter Storms &
Extreme Cold
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Severe Summer Storms
Moderate
Moderate
Moderate
Low
Extreme Heat
High
Low
Low
Low
Drought/Groundwater
High
Moderate
Low
Moderate
Executive Summary
ES-3
December 2010
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
Hazard Mitigation Goals and Guidelines
The Mitigation Committee established the following hazard mitigation goals for the
planning process:
Goal 1. Protect the lives, health, and safety of the people of McHenry County from the
impact and effects of natural hazards.
Goal 2. Protect public services, utilities and critical facilities from potential damage from
natural hazard events.
Goal 3. Protect historic, cultural, and natural resources from the effects of natural hazards.
Goal4. Ensure that new developments do not create new exposures to damage from
natural hazards.
Goal5. Mitigate to protect against economic and transportation losses due to natural
hazards.
Goal 6. Identify specific projects to protect lives and mitigate damage where cost-effective
and affordable.
The Mitigation Committee established the following guidelines for accomplishing the
mitigation goals:
Guideline 1. Focus natural hazards mitigation efforts on floods, severe summer and
winter storms, tornadoes, extreme cold and heat events, and drought.
Guideline 2. Make people aware of the hazards they face and focus mitigation efforts on
measures that allow property owners and service providers to help
themselves.
Guideline 3. Seek state and federal support for mitigation efforts.
Guideline 4. Use available local funds, when necessary, to protect the public services,
critical facilities, lives, health, and safety from natural hazards.
Guideline 5. Examine equitable approaches for the local cost of mitigation, such as user
fees.
Guideline 6. Create and foster public -private partnerships to accomplish mitigation
activities.
Guideline 7. Strive to improve and expand business, transportation and education
opportunities in McHenry County in conjunction with planned mitigation
efforts.
Executive Summary ES-4 December 2010
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
Hazard Mitigation Strategies
The Mitigation Committee reviewed current preventive mitigation measures being
implemented by the County and municipalities. Preventive measures include activities such
as building codes and the enforcement of the McHenry County Stormwater Ordinance.
Preventive measures protect new construction, property and natural resources from
hazards and see that future development does not increase potential losses. McHenry
County is very strong in preventive measures.
Property protection mitigation measures are used to modify buildings or property subject to
existing damage. Most measures are implemented by the property owners, so appropriate
government activities include public information, technical assistance and financial support.
The Mitigation Committee agreed that special attention should be given to floodplain areas
and designated repetitively flooded areas. Emphasis has also been placed on critical
facilities; understanding their vulnerability to hazards.
The Mitigation Committee concluded that structural mitigation projects, such as the
detention basins constructed through the McHenry County stormwater program, are
important, but that comprehensive watershed planning in needed. The Mitigation
Committee also recommended each community establish a formal and regular program of
drainage system maintenance.
The Mitigation Committee called for a better understanding of flood and other hazards to
improve emergency management — preparedness, response and recovery. The Mitigation
Committee recommended additional stream gaging for flood warning, and critical facility
protection for all hazards.
The Mitigation Committee identified numerous subject areas that would benefit from a
coordinated public information program, including safety during hazard events, property
protection, understanding floods, and protecting our watersheds and water quality. The
Mitigation Committee recommended that a common set of public information materials be
developed for use throughout McHenry County communities.
Mitigation Action Plan
All mitigation activity recommendations from Chapters 4 through 9 were reviewed and the
Mitigation Committee created an "Action Plan" that specifies recommended activities and
initiatives to be implemented over the next five years. It is understood that implementation
Executive Summary ES-5 December 2010
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
is contingent on the availability of resources (staff and funding). The Action Plan identifies
who is responsible for implementing the action items, and when they are to be done. The
Action Plan is included in Chapter 10 of this Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. A table
summarizing the action items and the responsible agencies is presented on page ES-8.
There are 23 action items. The first three action items are administrative, but very
important for the continued success of hazard mitigation in McHenry County. These items
call for the formal adoption of this Plan, the conversion of the Mitigation Committee to a
permanent advisory body, and plan maintenance procedures. Formal adoption is a
requirement for recognition of the Plan by mitigation funding programs. The Mitigation
Committee will provide the mechanism and a vehicle for the Plan to be implemented,
monitored, evaluated and updated. The Mitigation Committee will also provide a means for
continued public involvement. The Mitigation Committee will report to the County Board
and municipal councils and boards, annually, and a five year update to the Plan is required
for FEMA's mitigation funding programs.
Twenty of the action items are mitigation program items. Many are ongoing activities of
stormwater management and emergency management offices and agencies. The last two
action items are public information activities. These items are aimed directly at better
helping people be aware of the hazards that they face.
Plan Adoption
This Plan serves to recommend mitigation measures for McHenry County. Adoption of this
Plan by the McHenry County Board and the participating communities initiates the
implementation of these recommendations. Adoption is also a requirement for recognition
of the Plan by mitigation funding programs.
The adoption of this McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan will be done by
resolution of the County Board, the city councils, and boards of trustees of each
participating municipality, township and agency. The County's resolution creates the
permanent Mitigation Committee. The municipal resolutions will adopt each action item
that is pertinent to the community and assigns a person responsible for it. With adoption,
the County and each municipality, township or agency are individually eligible to apply for
FEMA mitigation grant funding.
Executive Summary ES-6 December 2010
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
Summary
This Plan was developed by the McHenry Natural Hazard Mitigation Committee as a multi -
jurisdictional plan to meet federal mitigation planning requirements. The Plan examines
natural hazards facing McHenry County, establishes mitigation goals, evaluates existing
mitigation activities throughout the County, and recommends additional mitigation steps
that are appropriate to protect people, property and other assets of McHenry County. This
Plan provides the County, its municipalities and townships, and other participating agencies
and institutions with direction for enhancing current mitigation efforts. This Plan will be
was adopted by resolution by the County and each participating municipality, township and
agency, as appropriate to each jurisdiction. This Plan will be implemented and maintained
through both countywide and individual initiatives, as funding and resources become
available.
Executive Summary ES-7 December 2010
McHenry County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan
McHenry County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Action Items, Responsible Agencies and Deadlines
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EMA
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Executive Summary ES-8 December 2010