This proposal will amend the City of Rocklin General Plan Community Safety Element to include by reference the Placer County 2021 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update to be consistent with the requirements of the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000.
The proposed amendment to the General Plan was initiated by the City of Rocklin. The proposed amendment to the General Plan would apply to all areas Citywide.
Mitigation is one of the five mission areas identified in the United States National Preparedness Goal and is focused on reducing the loss of life and property by lessening the impact of future disasters. The Rocklin community is vulnerable to threats and hazards that present long-term risks to people and their property. Mitigation is risk management action taken to avoid, reduce, or transfer those risks. By reducing the impact of disasters, mitigation supports protection and prevention activities, eases response, and speeds recovery to create better prepared and more resilient communities.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognizes that effective mitigation occurs at the local level, where communities apply a localized understanding of risks to effectively plan and identify strategic mitigation options. Since local governments are directly connected to community plans and goals, they can provide a better understanding of local vulnerabilities as they relate to risk reduction activities. It is with this outlook that the U.S. Congress adopted the Disaster Mitigation Act 2000 (DMA-2000) on October 31, 2000 as Public Law 106-390. The emphasis of DMA-2000 is on creating an ongoing, community-wide public/government planning process that ultimately results in local governing boards, including the Rocklin City Council, formally adopting a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). Hazard mitigation planning is the process through which hazards that threaten communities are identified, mitigation goals set, and appropriate mitigation strategies implemented.
The LHMP delineates hazards and assesses risks of a variety of natural hazards that could potentially impact Placer County. Additionally, the LHMP includes a review of each jurisdiction’s existing hazard reduction capabilities and recommends actions/projects to further reduce future vulnerability. Projects, measures, and policies contained in a LHMP are designed and recommended based on the nexus between hazard and values at risk. Timely and efficient plan implementation will reduce risk in all Placer County communities.
As specified by DMA-2000, local governments are required to update their LHMP every five years in order to remain eligible for future federal disaster mitigation funding. Following a similar process as required by FEMA for the 2005, 2010 and 2016 LHMPs, the process began with reconvening of the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) Working Group followed by conducting a publicly noticed kick-off meeting in late October 2020. Five other working meetings, all publicly noticed, were held in subsequent months to conduct the LHMP planning and updating process. The HMPC Working Group consisted of representatives from 26 jurisdictions and included select County Departments, the cities of Colfax, Auburn, Lincoln, and Rocklin, the Town of Loomis, and 20 participating Fire Districts and Special Districts within the County.
Based on the results of the risk assessment, the HMPC developed a mitigation strategy for reducing the County’s and all participating jurisdictions’ risk and vulnerability to hazards. The resulting Mitigation Strategy for the Placer County Planning Area (inclusive of the City of Rocklin) is comprised of LHMP goals and objectives and a mitigation action plan which includes a series of mitigation action projects and implementation measures. Based on the risk assessment, the HMPC identified goals and objectives for reducing the Placer County Planning Area’s vulnerability to hazards.
Key highlights of the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update include:
- Positioning the County and participating jurisdictions to more effectively compete for pre- and post-disaster mitigation funding.
- An updated hazard risk assessment for 18 hazards, which includes flood, wildfire, drought, earthquake, dam failure, seiche, severe storm, and agricultural hazards as priority hazards of concern to the County.
- An assessment of the impact of localized climate change, pandemic, and tree mortality on identified hazards of concern.
- Development of an updated mitigation strategy for the County and all participating jurisdictions including new plan goals and objectives and the identification of 209 mitigation actions to address identified hazards.
Following final review by the HMPC and a public comment period, a final draft Placer County 2021 LHMP Update was submitted for review to both the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and FEMA at the end of June 2021. On September 3, 2021, FEMA transmitted an Approval Pending Adoption letter, which stipulated that the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update met all the regulatory requirements and was eligible for adoption by the respective jurisdictions. Upon receipt of the City of Rocklin’s adopted resolution for the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update, FEMA will issue a final approval letter to the City.
As required by DMA-2000, the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update is incorporated by reference into the City of Rocklin General Plan Community Safety Element. This action allows the City to remain eligible for federal disaster mitigation funding should the City wish to pursue such funding in the future.
The Placer County 2021 LHMP Update recognizes the City’s on-going mitigation efforts such as the weed abatement program, the drainage maintenance program and the managed grazing program. Other potential mitigation actions identified in the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update include the following:
- Integrate Local Hazard Mitigation Plan into Safety Element of the General Plan.
- Enhance public education and awareness of natural hazards and public understanding of disaster preparedness.
- Open Space fire prevention and vegetation management prescribed grazing.
- Creek channel and drainage way clearing and maintenance.
- GIS based mapping of pertinent information that can be used by all agencies in the development of plans and during emergency incidents.
While the identification of these mitigation actions does not commit the City to their implementation, the value of these mitigation actions is recognized by the City and as a result many of them are also on-going. As a result of being listed in the 2021 LHMP Update, these mitigation actions are now eligible for future federal disaster mitigation funding should such funds become available and should the City wish to pursue such funding.
On August 24, 2021, the City Council approved an update to the City’s General Plan Community Safety Element and associated Action Plan (Resolution No. 2021-154). This update was necessary to address climate adaptation and resiliency strategies and identify new information relating to flood and fire hazards in compliance with State law and recent legislation, and it was also required to be completed in conjunction with the Housing Element Update. It should be noted that Table E-39 of Annex E (City of Rocklin) of the published version of the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update, dated June 2021, contains Community Safety Element goals and policies that predate the August 24, 2021 update to the Community Safety Element. As such, the resolution accompanying this staff report, which approves the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update and amends the City of Rocklin General Plan Community Safety Element to incorporate by reference the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update, contains clarifying language noting that the Community Safety Element goal and policy language within the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update is superseded by the Community Safety goal and policy language from the City Council’s August 24, 2021 approved and enacted update to the Community Safety Element. A redlined version of Table E-39 of Annex E (City of Rocklin) of the Placer County 2021 LHMP Update depicting edits in strikeouts and added text is included as Exhibit 1 to this staff report.
On April 5, 2022 the Planning Commission considered the proposed approval of the Placer County 2021 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) Update and an amendment to the City of Rocklin General Plan Community Safety Element to incorporate by reference the Placer County 2021 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) Update. During the Planning Commission hearing, there were no speakers that provided public comment. The Planning Commission voted 4-0 (one member absent) to recommend that the City Council approve the proposed Placer County 2021 LHMP Update and amendment to the General Plan Community Safety Element.