Title
Review and Comment on the Draft Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan
Body
Transportation Commission
10/27/2021
Item # 6C
(DISCUSSION)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (“City”) is seeking feedback on its Draft Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan ("Plan”) to serve as the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Plan updates the 2016 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and the adaptation chapter of the 2019 Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP). Some of the information contained in CARP is directly translated into this Plan, and some of it is updated and adapted for this Plan. The Plan is aligned with the draft General Plan Safety Element and Emergency Management Plan.
BACKGROUND
Per the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, Local Hazard Mitigation Plans must be updated every five years. The purpose of the Plan is to help Alameda adapt to climate change, reduce the impact of future disasters, and help us recover more quickly when disasters do occur. Local governments with a FEMA approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plans may be eligible for the following benefits:
• A more disaster-resistant and resilient community and region;
• Eligibility for hazard mitigation assistance programs, including Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Community (BRIC) Grant Program, Flood Mitigation Assistance and Severe Repetitive Loss grant programs;
• Eligibility for points under the National Flood Insurance Programs Community Rating System (CRS); and,
• Eligibility for waiver of the 6.25% local match for Public Assistance money after a disaster.
The Plan is different from an emergency management or response plan that prepares the City to respond when a disaster occurs, and may include such actions as providing emergency response, equipment, food, shelter, and medicine. However, climate adaptation and hazard mitigation planning supports emergency response planning by upgrading buildings and infrastructure to minimize the loss of life and property resulting from disasters.
The Plan addresses natural and climate induced hazards that impact the City of Alameda and lays out a strategy for mitigating natural hazards and adapting to a changing climate.
The success of this plan rests not only on our ability to implement its strategies, but also on our ability to implement the City’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP). The goal of CARP is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 and become carbon neutral soon as possible. By taking aggressive action to reduce our GHG emissions now, Alameda will do our part to achieve a climate safe path and avoid some of the extreme climate effects we may face.
Following revisions from the public engagement period, the final Local Hazard Mitigation plan will be submitted to the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for approval, followed by formal adoption of the Plan by the City Council.
DISCUSSION
Vision and Goals
The Plan's vision is that the City of Alameda will be better prepared for future hazards and climate impacts by reducing the impact of disasters on our community and by ensuring equitable recovery from those disasters. The goals of the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan are to:
• Reduce exposure to hazards where possible;
• Protect the health, safety and welfare of City of Alameda residents, workers and visitors;
• Minimize damage of public and private property;
• Minimize damage of the natural environment;
• Minimize disruption of essential services, facilities, and infrastructure.
• Ensure timely and complete recovery;
• Increase understanding and awareness of hazards and hazard mitigation by City employees and the public;
• Participate in mitigation and resiliency by all stakeholders, as appropriate, and;
• Protect the City’s character.
Relationship to Transportation Commission
Alameda’s roads are expected to experience inundation from flooding and sea level rise, roads and bridges may be damaged by earthquake shaking and liquefaction. The transportation network will be critical to helping residents and workers evacuate before a major tsunami. This Plan identifies actions that can be taken to minimize those impacts and prepare Alameda to more quickly recover from disasters.
Mitigation Actions
The Plan emphasizes improving existing buildings and infrastructure and designing new buildings and infrastructure to better withstand the impact of future disasters in Alameda. With guidance from the Planning Team, staff developed over 40 actions aimed at achieving the plan’s goals.
The following proposed mitigation and adaptation actions may be of particular interest to the Commission:
• Citywide Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan. Develop a comprehensive citywide sea level rise adaptation strategy for Alameda following the model of the Master Infrastructure Plan for Alameda Point. The plan will identify the range of shoreline protection, groundwater management, land use, and building and infrastructure design standards needed to help Alameda adapt to rising sea and groundwater levels and fill critical information gaps related to shoreline condition, jurisdiction and approach to ensure uniform protection for the city and to create additional shovel-ready adaptation projects or programs.
• Doolittle Drive Adaptation. Work with Caltrans, Port of Oakland, City of Oakland, East Bay Regional Parks District and other key stakeholders create project concept to mitigate flooding and sea level rise, to provide additional capacity for tsunami evacuation, and to enhance adjacent shoreline habitat with nature-based solutions and recreational opportunities on the San Francisco Bay Trail.
• Northern Shoreline Adaptation near Posey/Webster Tubes. Work with Caltrans, City of Oakland and other key stakeholders to create a project concept that combats flooding and sea level rise in the Oakland-Alameda Estuary.
• Refine Groundwater Model. Collect new data, add groundwater monitoring wells, analyze additional contaminants and potential landfill risks, update liquefaction zones and continue to refine the quality of the groundwater model.
• Resilient Transportation Network. Implement improvements to protect critical transportation facilities threatened by sea-level rise or rising groundwater.
• Disaster Debris Plan and Agreement. Complete the City’s Disaster Debris Plan for review by the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and establish relationships with contractors and haulers who will be able to bid on very short notice if needed.
• Tsunami Education. Conduct tsunami evacuation training and drills with schools
• Tsunami Evacuation Planning. Partner with City of Oakland and Port of Oakland to plan for tsunami evacuation
• Emergency Transportation Planning. Continue to work with AC Transit and WETA to ensure coordinated services in the event of the need for evacuation.
• Lifeline Estuary Crossing. Request that Alameda County upgrade Miller-Sweeney Bridge to a lifeline structure that would be operable after a major seismic event and continue working with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) to address the public safety hazard posed by the adjacent abandoned Fruitvale rail bridge that is likely to collapse in a seismic event.
For the full list of mitigation and adaptation strategies, see Chapter 5 “Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Strategy” (<https://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/city-manager/documents/adaption-and-mitigation-plan/05-climate-adaptation-and-hazard-mitigation-strategy_sept-2021-draft.pdf>)
Public Engagement
An open public involvement process was determined essential to the development of an effective plan. As such, staff established a page on the City’s website dedicated to the plan update (www.alamedaca.gov/HazardMitigationPlan <http://www.alamedaca.gov/HazardMitigationPlan>). Staff conducted a survey to solicit community input on natural hazards that pose risk to Alameda and to understand their level of personal preparedness for the disasters we face. In addition, City staff convened virtual community workshops to seek input on the draft plan, sent emails, and placed flyers at public locations and on doorsteps in target neighborhoods. Staff is also presenting at City Board and Commission meetings.
Public Events
• Virtual Community Meetings, September 16, 22, 28
Presentations to other City Boards and Commissions:
• Planning Board, September 27
• Commission on Persons with Disabilities, October 13
• Public Utilities Board, October 18
• Transportation Commission, October 27
• Social Service and Human Relations Board, October 28
• Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth and their Families, October 28
• Historical Advisory Board, November 4
To join the mailing list for the Plan, select “Environment, Sustainability and Climate Action” among the options here: www.alamedaca.gov/RESIDENTS/Subscribe <http://www.alamedaca.gov/RESIDENTS/Subscribe>
The plan can be viewed online at www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/city-manager/documents/adaption-and-mitigation-plan/climate-adaptation-and-hazard-mitigation-plan_sept-2021-draft.pdf <http://www.alamedaca.gov/files/assets/public/city-manager/documents/adaption-and-mitigation-plan/climate-adaptation-and-hazard-mitigation-plan_sept-2021-draft.pdf>
or at <https://www.alamedaca.gov/HazardMitigationPlan> under “Review draft plan”.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Adoption of the Plan is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because general policy and procedure making of this nature does not constitute a “project” that is subject to environmental review (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2)).
RECOMMENDATION
Review and comment on the Draft Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan
Respectfully submitted by,
Danielle Mieler,
Sustainability and Resilience Manager