By William J. Dagendesh
An update of the Hazard Mitigation Plan was presented to Manitou Springs City Council during the Jan. 10 work session.
The presentation showed how, in 2017, the city created and incorporated a Hazard Mitigation Plan into Plan Manitou. The Federal Emergency Management Agency requires that a hazard mitigation plan be updated every five years and comply with FEMA’s regulations and plan requirements. The plan ensures counties and municipalities remain eligible for mitigation projects when funding becomes available.
The city of Manitou Springs conducted a Natural Hazard Risk Assessment and determined that flooding, geologic hazards and wildfire are the natural hazards that pose the greatest risk to Manitou. These hazards can negatively affect residents, property, infrastructure and the city’s economy. The city developed a Hazard Mitigation Strategy to reduce and mitigate its risk.
The hazard mitigation staff oversees the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Flood Mitigation Assistance and Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program. Federal funding is provided for cost effectiveness and sustainable projects through these three programs.
Hazard mitigation planning begins with state and local governments identifying natural disaster risks and vulnerabilities common in their area. The Hazard Mitigation Plan for 2023 is in draft form and is being reviewed by several agencies.
Since 2017, numerous mitigation actions have been completed, which city staff and consultants have been able to remove from the 2023 plan. These completed mitigation actions include:
- An annual review/update of the city’s Emergency Operations Plan;
- The HMP update;
- Policy to address development in high geological risk areas;
- Flood Control Master Plan;
- Water System Distribution Master Plan;
- Wastewater System Master Plan Bridge Inspection Operating procedure; and
- Continuity of Operations Plan and Government Plan.
The remaining mitigation actions are in progess.
FEMA is partially funding this project, which allows increased opportunities to receive funding for mitigation projects. The goal of this update is to provide the city with a document that addresses new ways to mitigate hazards, how to prepare for hazards and educate residents, businesses and tourists.
Since March 2022, three stakeholder meetings have been held and consultants created the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment draft. A public outreach survey on hazards here created the strategy and capability assessment, and produced the first draft of the updated HMP.
Kelsey Lanham, planning technician for the Planning Department, said in a memo that this is an introduction to the new 2023 HMP update on what has been accomplished since inception of the 2017 plan and what steps will be taken before the plan moves forward.
Jeff Brislawn, project manager, and Chris Johnson, hazard mitigation planner with the New York City-headquartered WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure Inc. (formerly Wood Environment and Infrastructure Solutions Inc.) gave an update of the plan that included a hazard identification overview, risk assessment and public survey results.
Every local government is required to have such a plan, Brislawn said.
“Mitigation is defined as any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to human life and property from hazards,” Brislawn said.
The Mitigation Planning Process has four phases. Phase 1 is to organize resources, determine the planning area, build the planning team and create a community outreach strategy, while Phase 2 looks at risk assessment, identifies hazards, assess vulnerabilities and reviews community capabilities.
Phase 3 develops a mitigation strategy, mitigation goals and objectives, and identifies and prioritizes mitigation activities. Phase 4 adopts and implements review and adopts the plan, keeps the plan current, and creates a safe and resilient community.
“We’re moving forward with wrapping the draft plan, and will be getting into adopting and implementing the plan,” Brislawn said.
“What we have been doing up to this point, is working in conjunction with other city departments, as well as public, private and non-profit stakeholders which includes neighboring jurisdictions,” Johnson added,
He said that the hazard identification and risk assessment involves reviewing every natural disaster Manitou Springs is exposed to and conducting an in-depth analysis of the city’s strengths and vulnerabilities to those hazards. This includes flooding, mud and debris flow, wildfire, dam failure/flood, severe winter storm, drought, landslide and rock fall.
“Hazards such as flooding, mud and debris flow and wildfire have been considered the highest priority for the city and are the hazards we are trying to target most with mitigation actions,” Johnson said.
A final plan for FEMA’s review is scheduled for February-March with final approval and adoption expected in March.
Also, council agreed to explore Colorado Energy Office’s Performance Contracting Program. Energy Performance Contracting is a creative model for funding and implementing capital improvement upgrades that allows entities to use future cost savings to fund projects.
DeLynne Southern, a technical specialist with the Colorado Energy Office, discussed the EPC Program. It assists local governments, special districts, school districts, institutions of higher education and state agencies to incorporate conservation measures with little or no upfront capital.
“Energy performance contracting is a financing and contracting tool that allows public jurisdictions the ability to use operational energy savings from facility improvements, and actually repay for the project over time,” Southern said.
Before entering an EPC, an energy service company conducts an investment-grade audit of facilities and delivers a project proposal that includes energy and water efficiency measures, renewable energy systems, electric vehicle technology, operations and maintenance and/or metering infrastructure improvements.
Colorado statute establishes EPC guidelines including cash-flow positive, cost-weighted average life of equipment greater than the financing term, guaranteed operating savings and three years of measurement and verification. By using the stream of income from cost savings or renewable energy produced, the project repays itself over the contract term.
Kate Sipler from Schneider Electric, a firm that engages in public/private partnerships with the Colorado Energy Office, said the word “savings” has different meanings.
“Utility savings is a big portion of what helps fund these projects. Anything that would save on utilities, we can capture those savings and use it to fund the project,” Sipler said.
City Council’s next regular session is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17.