CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: August 24, 2016
PREPARED BY: Charlie Ha, Associate Engineer/Public Works
APPROVED BY: City Manager
Title
ADOPTION OF 2015 SANTA CLARA COUNTY MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION (PPI)
END
RECOMMENDATION(S)
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt resolution adopting the 2015 Santa Clara County Multi-Jurisdictional Program for Public Information (PPI)
BODY
COUNCIL PRIORITIES, GOALS & STRATEGIES:
Ongoing Priorities
Enhancing public safety
Protecting the environment
2016 Focus Areas
Planning Our Community
Enhancing Our Services
REPORT NARRATIVE:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Goals of the CRS are to reduce flood damages to insurable property, strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP, and encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management. Participating CRS communities earn flood insurance premium discounts for their residents and businesses by conducting floodplain management activities that exceed NFIP minimum requirements. Communities earn CRS points for activities that promote effective flood risk reduction practices and encourage buying flood insurance. Types of activities eligible for CRS credit include flood emergency preparedness planning, maintenance of elevation certificates, open space preservation within the designated floodplain, and public outreach and education on flood risk and flood insurance. CRS class ratings are assigned at 500-point increments from 10 to 1 and each improvement in class rating nets an additional 5% discount to residential and business flood insurance premiums.
The City of Morgan Hill has participated in the FEMA CRS since May 2003 and has a current CRS class rating of 7, which allows Morgan Hill residents and businesses a 15% discount on their flood insurance premium. As of April 30, 2016 per the NFIP, the City of Morgan Hill property owners pay $458,907 per year in flood insurance premiums. The total annual savings to 559 Morgan Hill policy holders as a result of the City’s CRS 7 rate class discount is approximately $68,836.
Under the updated 2013 CRS Coordinator’s Manual, a group of communities may obtain additional CRS points by participating in a joint regional Plan for Public Information (PPI). A PPI allows for a community to obtain additional CRS points it otherwise would not have an opportunity to obtain without a PPI. A PPI is an ongoing local effort to identify, prepare, implement, and monitor a range of public information activities that meet specific local needs. Examples of outreach measures contained in the proposed PPI include mailers to residents, public information announcements, and signs posted in flood prone areas. The City already undertakes similar public outreach measures but having adopted a PPI, that also includes such measures, provides additional points for the City's CRS program. Through the PPI planning process, projects are monitored, evaluated, and revised to improve their effectiveness. While adopting the proposed PPI will not, by itself, place the City in a better rate class, it is important for the City to continually seek ways to raise flood awareness and gain CRS points which will ultimately improve its rate class.
FEMA recognizes the value of a plan for public information that is shared by multiple agencies with similar goals. Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) has taken the initiative to start and organize a regional Plan for Public Information (PPI). SCVWD invited Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and the County of Santa Clara to participate in the development of a multi-jurisdictional PPI. In the PPI process, a local agency or group of agencies works together to decide what flood risk reduction messages are most appropriate and designs a program to deliver those messages.
The draft of the PPI version attached to this staff report was reviewed by FEMA experts to make sure its provisions fully comply with FEMA requirements, prior to approval by any participating agency’s government body. FEMA has informed the participating agencies that this is one of the first multi-jurisdictional PPIs to be completed and it involves the largest number of participating communities to date.
As required by the terms of the PPI, the PPI committee must re-convene annually to evaluate whether the flood risk reduction messages are still appropriate and adjust the PPI as needed. A report to FEMA must be submitted annually describing the PPI implementation. Every five years, the legislative bodies of all participating communities must re-approve the plan in order to continue receiving CRS credit.
To date the following agencies have adopted the PPI: SCVWD, Town of Los Altos, City of Milpitas, City of Mountain View, City of Palo Alto, and City of Santa Clara.
The 2015 Santa Clara County Multi-Jurisdictional Program for Public Information (PPI) (Attachment 1) is recommended for City Council adoption. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires the elected body of each community to approve the PPI in order to receive points for having an approved plan pursuant to the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System (CRS). The PPI activity was introduced into the CRS in 2013 and is voluntary. The actual benefit to each community as a result of having an approved PPI will vary depending on how extensive a program is implemented within each community’s boundaries. Staff anticipates that adoption of the proposed PPI will only help in sustaining a strong CRS score for the City.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Involve
Mr. Sanjar Chakamian, participated as the community non-governmental counterpart representing Morgan Hill at the PPI meetings for 2015.
For 2016 PPI meetings, Mr. Chakamian was not available to serve as Morgan Hill’s PPI community member. To find a new community member, we reached out to employee residents of Morgan Hill to serve on the 2016 PPI, and Mark Rauscher of Engineering agreed to be part of the 2016 PPI as the Morgan Hill community member, which is allowed under FEMA guidelines.
For 2017 with our first PPI meeting scheduled sometime in April/May of 2017, we are reaching out to local insurance agents to serve as the Morgan Hill PPI community member.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS:
The Council may decide to not approve the PPI. By not approving the PPI the City of Morgan Hill will not be eligible to obtain the CRS points for activities listed in PPI points, even if the City should complete and maintain activities listed in the PPI.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION ACTIONS:
None.
FISCAL AND RESOURCE IMPACT:
The City’s participation in the development and implementation of the PPI can be accommodated with the existing staff and operating budgets of the Public Works and Building Departments. The Santa Clara Valley Water District incurred costs of approximately $120,000 to manage and coordinate the creation of the multi-jurisdictional PPI. The City is under no obligation to contribute to the Water District any share of that amount.
CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act):
Categorical Exemption
PPI is not a development project.
LINKS/ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
Attachment 1 - 2015 Santa Clara County Multi-Jurisdictional Program for Public Information