Mitigation

Mitigation Strategy

The Mitigation Strategy provides the jurisdictions within the CVPDC with the goals, objectives, and specific actions which will help the communities become less vulnerable to natural and man-made hazards. The Strategy is meant to be comprehensive with both regional and location-specific actions while at the same time being feasible based on the capabilities of the jurisdictions.

Mitigation Goals and Objectives

The CVPDC set up working group meetings with the Technical Advisory Committee to identify regional mitigation goals, objectives, and actions. A goal for each type of mitigation strategy was agreed upon and multiple objectives supporting that goal were developed.

Information and Outreach (I) Goal

Increase hazard awareness and preparedness activity participation by area individuals, property owners, and businesses.

• Develop diverse and regionally-consistent hazard preparedness information and actions for public, businesses, and organizations to educate, lessen impact and increase safety during and after natural hazards.
• Provide property evaluation and maintenance best practices to minimize impact from drought, high temperatures, wind, and storms.
• Provide information to lessen impact and support timely recovery from flood and stormwater hazard impacts.
• Develop or provide tools to lessen fire hazard impacts.

Prevention Capacity (C) Goal

Through governmental operations, business and private sector partnerships, advance planning initiatives, voluntary and regulatory programs (e.g. code enforcement), and maintenance practices to lessen hazard impacts.

• Encourage agency and department coordination and participation in national programs to advance mitigation measure implementation.
• Lessen hazard vulnerability to residents, property, and natural resources through planning, zoning, ordinances, data development, land use regulations, and other programmatic activities.
• Support and execute programs and projects to lessen impact from flood and stormwater hazards.
• Support and execute programs and projects to lessen impact from fire hazards.
• Support and execute programs and projects to lessen impact from extreme temperatures, and drought hazards.
• Support and execute programs and projects to lessen impact from severe weather and high wind hazards.

Property Protection (P) Goal

Support property and infrastructure fortification programs and projects to lessen hazard impacts to lives, property, and infrastructure.

• Support fortification measures that increase hazard resiliency of property, public infrastructure, critical facilities, and public spaces.
• Support fortification measures to lessen impact to residents, property, and infrastructure from flooding (riverine, flash floods) hazards.
• Support fortification measures to lessen impact to residents, property, and infrastructure from high wind hazards.
• Support fortification measures to lessen impact to residents, property and infrastructure from fire, high temperatures, geophysical, and extreme drought hazards.
• Evaluate and seek opportunities to enhance or install emergency communication systems.

Structure (S) Goal

Execute measures that significantly lessen the impact of natural hazard impact to lives, communities, property, and infrastructure in the region.

• Study, design and execute measures to preserve and expand existing structures or construct new features that lessen the impact of flooding on lives, property, communities, critical facilities, and infrastructure.
• Advance transportation network connectivity and mode options to support emergency access and evacuation and corridor options to minimize economic impact to communities and businesses.
• Study, design and/or construct measures that lessen drought, high temperatures, and fire hazard impacts on residents, property, critical facilities, businesses, working landscapes.

Natural System Resiliency (R) Goal

Preserve the function and resiliency of the region’s natural resources and sensitive landscapes.

• Protect the function of area rivers, riverbanks, water resources, and wetlands.
• Preserve working landscapes, open spaces, and steep slopes to minimize natural hazard impacts.
• Implement measures to preserve area forest lands.

Jurisdiction-Specific Mitigation Actions

Regional actions were identified based on the regional needs and capabilities. Understanding that every jurisdiction in the CVPDC is different, additional jurisdiction-specific mitigation actions were developed and are presented in following Section.