Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager
CC:	Teri Smith, Director of Douglas County Emergency Management Ron Olin, Chief of Police Mark Bradford, Fire Medical Chief Charles Soules, Public Works Director Scott McCullough, Planning and Development Services Director James Wisdom, Interim Director of Information Systems
DATE:	May 4, 2009
RE:	Multi-Jurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan

City departments have been working with Douglas County Emergency Management to create a hazard mitigation plan that specifically addresses hazards to the City of Lawrence and its residents. Douglas County previously had a disaster mitigation plan, but the City of Lawrence needs to adopt the updated Multi-Jurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan in order to be eligible for competitive mitigation grant funding. Douglas County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have already approved this plan.

The plan identifies strategies, as well as a number of specific projects, which will make the community safer by minimizing the impact of disasters on lives and property. Adoption of the plan does not commit the city to complete any projects, but the projects must be in the plan in order to be eligible for mitigation grant funding. All of the projects may be viewed beginning on page 147 of the attached plan). The city’s projects identified in the plan are listed below:

• Promote and continue to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program;
• Provide additional support to the Community Rating System to raise the rating to the next level;
• Proactive management of tree and debris removal from roadways and elevation of roadways;
• Update flood damage prevention ordinance to include new FEMA digital flood insurance rate maps;
• Upgrade stormwater pumps for Maple Grove drainage and additional pumping capacity to the existing pump station;
• Evaluate existing buildings for safe areas and prioritize replacements and upgrades to existing facilities;
• Develop and conduct a seminar for builders, developers, and home buyers on wind resistant and safe room construction;
• Create a stream buffer ordinance;
• Promote the early warning notification with the use of all hazard radios.

ACTION:      Adopt Resolution No. 6833, adopting the Douglas County, Kansas Multi-Jurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan.