MEMORANDUM

TO: Pete Sprague, Assembly President

Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Members

THRU: Dale L. Bagley, Borough Mayor

THRU: Max Best, Planning Director

FROM: David Gibbs, Emergency Manager

DATE: September 9, 2004

SUBJECT: Ordinance 2004-33, Adopting the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Kenai Peninsula Borough.

In 2003, the Office of Emergency Management applied for, and received, $50,000 in grant funding to prepare a Borough-wide multi-jurisdictional All-Hazard Mitigation Plan (Plan). The funding was accepted and appropriated under Ordinances 2003-19-15 ($20,000) and 2003-19-26 ($30,000). The Borough must have a FEMA approved plan in place by November 1, 2004 to be eligible for certain types of hazard mitigation funding.

The purpose of this hazard mitigation planning effort is twofold: first, as a viable tool for reducing community vulnerability to disaster loss and damage; and second, as a prerequisite for receiving certain types of future federal and state hazard mitigation funding.

To fulfill the multi-jurisdictional aspects of the Plan, the Borough coordinated project planning, public outreach and plan development with the six incorporated cities: Homer, Kachemak, Kenai, Seldovia, Seward, and Soldotna. Five of the cities have chosen to complete draft plans, which are included in the KPB Plan as Annex Sections. Each city will formally adopt their own plan. Although an Annex Section was reserved for the City of Seldovia, it has opted to complete its plan in conjunction with development of an emergency response plan at a later date.

To ensure timely submission of the plan to FEMA a final hearing is requested on October 26, 2004.

The final draft of the Interagency All Lands/All Hands (AL/AH) [Wildfire] Action Plan has been incorporated into the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan as the wildfire hazard mitigation section (see Annex H). Although the AL/AH will be adopted as part of the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan, it will be implemented through the interagency agreements specifically spelled out in the AL/AH Action Plan document. The All-Hazard Mitigation Plan will be implemented through a steering committee composed of Borough Department heads or their designees.

Final drafts of the All-Hazard Mitigation Plan will be provided to the Assembly in advance of the October 26 meeting. Copies of the nearly completed draft are currently available from the Clerk's office as well as on the KPB All Hazard Mitigation Plan website (http://www.borough.kenai.ak.us/emergency/hazmit/plan.htm).

Due to the relatively short adoption process timeframe, the Plan will be provided to the members of the Planning Commission for consideration during their September 27 and October 11 meetings.