DATE: March 28, 2023
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Fire Chief
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution Updating the Hayward Local Resilience Plan, Formerly Known as the Hayward Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, and Finding that the Action is Exempt from CEQA Review
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the City Council adopts a resolution (Attachment II) adopting the 2021 update to the Hayward Local Resilience Plan, formerly known as the Hayward Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and finds that the action is exempt from CEQA Review.
SUMMARY
Staff is recommending that Council adopt the City's Local Resilience Plan (LRP) 2021 Update (Attachment III). The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was renamed as part of Hayward’s forward-thinking resilience planning and serves as a guiding document for that strategy and the City’s hazard mitigation activities. Updates to the LRP are required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) every 5 years to remain eligible to receive hazard mitigation grants and fully funded federal post-disaster Public Assistance. Local jurisdictions, including special districts, that participate in the planning process and are seeking FEMA approval must adopt the mitigation plan. The LRP update was prepared by the Hayward Fire Department, with input from the Planning Department, and the public via a survey.
Local Resilience Plans must be reviewed and approved by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The plan approval date begins the five-year approval period and sets the expiration date for the plan. The previous plan dated 2016 was set to be updated in 2021. The reason why staff is bringing the 2021 Update to Council in 2023 is because of the State and Federal review and approval process.
The updated LRP has been reviewed and approved by CalOES and is currently being reviewed by FEMA. Per FEMA’s Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide, a single jurisdiction is allowed to adopt the plan prior to final FEMA approval, recognizing that the state and/or FEMA may require revisions to the plan that will change the plan’s final content.
The attached updated LRP contains minimal changes from the 2016 adopted version, as no substantial natural disasters occurred in the 5-year period from 2017-2021 and minimal changes occurred in the City's disaster mitigation environment and priorities. Staff is seeking Council adoption before April 19, 2023, because FEMA is issuing new requirements, which may warrant major document revisions and temporary loss of funding opportunities if adopted after that date.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Resolution
Attachment III Local Resilience Plan