Phase 1- Organize Resources (Project Planning)
Project Planning (organizing resources) is the first step for the HMP update process. Essential steps of this milestone include establishing a Project Management (PM) Team and a Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) Planning Committee (Requirement §201.6(b)(2)). Additionally, this step includes the development of a public outreach strategy (Requirement §201.6(b)(1)) and the review and incorporation of existing plans, studies, reports, and other technical data/information (Requirement §201.6(b)(3)).
Phase One Checklist:
□ Prepare (e)mailing list and invitations for proposed LHMP Planning Committee members (document all invitations as required by Requirement §201.6(b)(2))
□ Review previous plan including hazard profiles, planning process, and mitigation actions
□ Conduct Planning Committee Kick-off Meeting
□ Document the planning process and all stakeholder meetings, including how it was prepared and who was involved in the process for each jurisdiction (Requirement §201.6(c)(1))
□ Develop information on jurisdictional website
□ Develop Outreach Strategy
Feel free to explore each step of Phase 1 in detail below!
Build Planning Team
When considering resources and how to organize them, it is important to establish the various participation/engagement levels of the stakeholder groups in your jurisdiction (Requirement §201.6(b)(2)). The figure below shows the recommended levels of participation intensity for each group that will participate in the HMP planning process. The figure below shows the recommended levels of participation intensity for each group that will participate in the HMP planning process.
Project Management Team
At the core of the HMP planning process is the Project Management (PM) Team, which serves as the backbone of the planning process and will work with the HMP Planning Committee to provide direction for the development of the updated HMP. The formation of the PM Team is important and its composition is integral in ensuring the success of the HMP Update planning process, follow-on implementation, and future plan maintenance. Recommended PM Team members should represent the jurisdiction’s staff who serve as key decision-makers on the project.
Planning Committee
The HMP Planning Committee is used to guide the process and ensure the mitigation plan meets the goals of the community or operational area and the State and Federal Hazard Mitigation Plan requirements. With support from the PM Team, identify a group of dedicated and interested individuals to become members of the HMP Planning Committee.
Engage the same stakeholders who were involved in the creation of the previous HMP for their input and historical experience.
The Planning Committee:
- Attends/actively participates in a series of structured coordination meetings
- Assists in the collection of valuable local information and other requested data
- Makes decisions on plan process and content
- Identifies mitigation actions for the HMP
- Reviews/provides comments on plan drafts
- Coordinates/participates in public input process
It is recommended to meet with your Planning Committee during certain phases of the update process and also inform partners that have authorities to make regulatory changes. It might be a good idea to recognize the Planning Committee officially with a Board of Supervisors, City Council or other governing board within your community or operational area. Click here for Planning Committee Resolution templates.
Once the HMP Planning Committee has been established and finalized, the following items should be prepared and further incorporated into the HMP Update document (Requirement §201.6(c)(1)):
1) A list of individual participants and organizations involved in the planning process and a description of their roles.
2) A discussion of past participation of individual participants and organizations in the previously adopted plan.
Note: The items above belong in the “Planning Process” description of the Plan which is a required component.
Stakeholders and the Public
In addition to the Planning Committee, you may have interested stakeholders that may provide technical knowledge or have a vested interest in reducing risk within the community or operational area. Stakeholders can consist of subject matter experts who work in other departments within your jurisdiction and non- government representatives (i.e., Fire Safe Councils, Neighborhood Watches) who play integral roles or have a stake in the mitigation of hazard risk. Think of the public, including residents and property owners from the flood and other hazard-prone properties/areas, businesses, civic groups, academia, non-profit organizations/groups, major employers, managers of critical facilities, farmers, developers, and others outside governmental agencies (Requirement §201.6(b)(1)).
Remember, not all of these agencies/organizations will be able (or have) to participate as part of the HMP Planning Committee. However, an opportunity for these agencies/organizations to be involved in the planning process needs to be extended (via invitations to provide comments and/or for volunteers to serve on the HMP Planning Committee).
Use this worksheet to identify partner organizations to invite to participate on the planning team. Some organizations do not need to be involved in every decision of the planning process but are stakeholders that require outreach and involvement during the planning process. Revise the list of general partners in the worksheet to reflect the organizations in your community. Mark which organizations will be invited to participate on the planning team and which will be involved through stakeholder outreach activities.
Meeting Coordination and Prescription
Monthly Coordination Meetings. The HMP Project Management (PM) Team should meet monthly (if not more) to coordinate during the development of the HMP Update. It’ a good idea to develop a reoccurring meeting for coordination purposes, this meeting can be conducted via conference call for convenience.
In addition to monthly coordination meetings, four (4) jurisdictional working sessions should be conducted to develop specific and required content in your plan. Each working session will be conducted and facilitated by the PM Team (it might help to have the consultant facilitate these sessions). These working sessions will be used to (a) document involvement, (b) provide training to staff about the hazard mitigation process, and (c) complete iterative (and required) steps toward developing sound mitigation implementation strategies. A sample meeting table is provided below to provide possible working session topics.
Review/Incorporate Existing Plans, Studies, Reports, and Other Technical Data/Information
Work with the HMP Planning Committee to review and assess existing plans, studies, and data available from local, state and federal sources. Look for:
- Existing /Current Stormwater Management Plans
- Existing/Current Watershed Plans
- Existing/Current Habitat Conservation Plans
- Existing/Current Drainage Plans
- Existing/Current and Proposed Building Codes
- Existing/Current and Proposed Roadway/Infrastructure Plans
All documents reviewed and assessed should be listed and include a discussion of the findings, noting incorporation of applicable existing plans, studies, reports, and technical information in the HMP Update document (Requirement §201.6(b)(3)). A discussion of the data sources used to provide information in the HMP Update should be included, as well as a summary of data limitations encountered and your jurisdictions could potentially overcome those limitations in the future.