STATE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

STATE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

This section details a few of the support programs that the State of North Carolina has made available to local governments to assist them in preparing a local Hazard Mitigation Plan that will meet the planning criteria set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and NCDEM. Many of these support mechanisms are also available for plan implementation as well. Local governments are highly encouraged to seek out additional resources (monetary and otherwise) to augment the support made available by the State. The State also highly encourages local governments to look to existing sources of revenue, including annual budget reviews that can be directed to either one-time or ongoing mitigation activities.

NC Floodplain Mapping Program

The capability of local governments to mitigate flood damage is being greatly enhanced through the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program. The Program involves producing updated, digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panels for the entire State of North Carolina, implementing a state-of-the-art, dynamic Information Technology infrastructure, and developing a real-time flood forecasting and inundation mapping system. New and updated FIRMs can provide crucial guidance for future building, development, and flood mitigation efforts—determining how and where individuals, private developers, and local governments build.

The Division of Community Assistance (DCA) within the North Carolina Department of Commerce has provided valuable assistance to local governments in preparing hazard mitigation plans. DCA planners have attended HMPI Planning Workshops, and have provided planning advice to local governments using DCA funds. DCA also provides technical assistance through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, the North Carolina Main Street program, and the Community Planning Program.
The Division of Water Quality within the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources assists communities in a wide range of activities related to water quality and stormwater management, including implementation of water quality and stormwater regulations and standards.
The Division of Coastal Management within the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources assists local governments in a wide range of activities related to coastal management. Under the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), local governments in the coastal zone must prepare and implement local land use plans, an element of which includes hazard mitigation (see detailed discussion of CAMA plans below). The Division also assists local governments implement and enforce local permitting procedures for certain types of development, and in regulating setback requirements within the coastal region.
Technical guidance and information on a wide range of issues, much of which can be adapted to hazard mitigation purposes, is offered by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension. The Cooperative Extension is based at North Carolina’s two land-grant institutions—North Carolina State University and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University. The Extension also has offices in all 100 counties, as well as on the Cherokee Reservation.
The Institute of Government, located within the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provides training, assistance, and a vast library of resources regarding local governance, finance, services and related local government issues. The IOG sponsors more than 200 classes, seminars, schools, and specialized conferences for more than 14,000 public officials each year. The Institute has a unique relationship with North Carolina’s county and municipal governments. Elected officials, city and county managers, finance directors, school officials, and numerous other public managers and employees have regular contact with faculty and staff. When the General Assembly is in session, the Institute’s Legislative Reporting Services publishes the Daily Bulletin, in print and electronic format, for those who need to follow the course of legislation in a timely fashion. While natural hazard mitigation is not a regular topic on the Institute’s schedule, it is hoped that in the future, more attention to mitigation and the role local officials can play in keeping their communities safe will be added to the curriculum.
Regional Councils of Governments (COGs) also assist local governments in planning, grants management, and related endeavors (see discussion of COGs below).
Private consultants, often hired by local governments with federal and state mitigation funds, have produced many of the local hazard mitigation plans throughout the state. While hired consultants were always made welcome at HMPI Planning Workshops, NCDEM emphasized that a representative from the local government be present and receive training at the Workshops as well. This policy was intended to ensure that increased knowledge obtained at the training sessions would “reside” with the local government itself, augmenting the community’s long-term capability to engage in hazard mitigation planning.

Hazard Data Made Available to Local Governments

Any analysis that local governments undertake of their hazard risks and vulnerabilities is only as good as the data that are used to perform the analysis. HMPI planners encourage local communities to use the best available data in preparing local Hazard Mitigation Plans. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of both GIS and non-GIS data available to local communities from multiple sources, much of which is free for the asking, or provided at-cost.
Data is also available to local governments from the North Carolina Climate Office on a wide range of weather and climate-related topics, as well as NOAA’s National Climate and Data Center (NCDC).

Prioritizing Local Assistance

It has been the policy of the State of North Carolina to assist as many local governments as possible to prepare and implement high quality mitigation plans. NCDEM has advertised the planning requirements, plan criteria, funding availability, and the State deadline for plan completion through a variety of means, including posting the information on the NCDEM Web site; by direct mailings to local government planners, managers, emergency management personnel, and local government elected officials; and during HMPI workshops.

The League of Municipalities, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, the North Carolina Association of Emergency Managers, as well as the North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association have also disseminated information on behalf of the Division to their respective members and clientele. Division leaders are confident that that all eligible local governments have been made aware of the availability of funding and other assistance for plan development.
NCDEM is currently emphasizing regional Hazard Mitigation Planning efforts, and is funding such activities under the HMGP for DR-1871, DR-1969, and DR-4019, as well as under a large grant awarded under PDM FY11.

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