Chapter 3
The Planning Process
3.1. A Multi-Jurisdictional Planning Process
The Madison County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee represents all incorporated cities and towns – City of Huntsville, City of Madison, City of New Hope, Town of Gurley, Town of Owens Cross Roads, and Town of Triana- and all unincorporated communities and areas of Madison County. These jurisdictions were also involved in the 2003-2004 planning process; no jurisdiction changes took place during the first five year plan maintenance period.
This integrated planning process combines the risks, issues, goals, and mitigation measures of each community into a consolidated plan whereby all jurisdictions have equal opportunity for participation and full representation in the planning process. This process, therefore, satisfies the requirements of CFR Section 201.6(a)(3) of the DMA 2000 in which “multi-jurisdictional plans may be accepted, as appropriate, as long as each jurisdiction has participated in the process.” All jurisdictions fully participated in all committee meetings, committee assignments and exercises, public meetings, and other planning activities completed during the drafting and updating phases of this Plan. In addition to Committee representation, each jurisdiction conducted an independent public hearing to receive public comments prior to final action by each governing body to adopt the plan.
3.2 Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
A special planning committee – the Madison County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee – comprised of representatives from all jurisdictions and other organizations in Madison County concerned with natural disasters, guided the development of this natural hazards mitigation plan. The members of the planning committee and the organizations they represent are listed in the plan Acknowledgements prior to the Table of Contents.
Initial members were recommended by the Director of the Huntsville-Madison County EMA and then appointed by the Local Emergency Planning Committee for the entire five-year cycle of this mitigation plan. The staff of the Huntsville-Madison County EMA and the City of Huntsville’s Planning Department staff serve the committee in a support role as facilitator with the participating municipalities and the County Commission.
The Committee adopted the following mission statement at its first meeting:
To oversee and establish a comprehensive hazard mitigation planning process that:
· Engages public participation and support;
· Facilitates Federal, state, regional and local agencies’ coordination;
· Constantly monitors and evaluates the potential risks of hazards to life and property;
· Actively mobilizes all available community resources and measures to mitigation the threats of hazards; and,
· Results in programmed actions with specific results.
During the initial planning process the committee held four meetings during February through June 2003. Documentation of these meetings in the form of sign-in sheets and meeting agendas are available at the EMA office.
During the 2009 update process, several original Committee members participated. However, many elected officials were no longer in office and some members had moved on to other projects. These members were replaced with new representatives from Alabama A&M University (A&M), the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH), the Towns of Gurley, Triana and Owens Cross Roads and the cities of New Hope, Huntsville and Madison.
During the 2009 update process, one-on-one meetings were held in September 2009 by the Vice-Chair of the Committee with the Mayor of the City of New Hope and representatives of the Town of Owens Cross Roads. The purpose of these meetings was to review the overall Hazard Mitigation Plan and receive their comments. Documentation of these meetings is on file at the EMA office. The Town of Triana attended one Committee meeting and discussed the plan via telephone and email with the Vice-Chair of the Committee. The Mayor of Town of Gurley attended one Committee meeting and held a planning meeting with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee and Gurley town planners. County Commissioner Jerry Craig also attended the meeting on behalf of his district which includes Gurley, Owens Cross Roads, and New Hope.
During the 2014 update process, the Mayor of the City of New Hope created an ad-hoc EMA Task Force for his jurisdiction, which met with the Committee Vice Chair on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 to discuss New Hope’s edits to the plan. The Town of Owens Cross Roads appointed a town police officer to attend Committee meetings on the Town’s behalf. The Towns of Gurley’s planner met with both Committee Chairs. The Town of Triana sent representatives to Committee meetings. All other jurisdictions participated thoroughly in the plan update process through Committee membership, attendance at each of the 2009-2014 Committee meetings and regular correspondence with the Committee Chair and Vice-Chair via email and telephone.
Over the course of the 2003-2004 committee meetings, each Committee member was asked to participate in five exercises designed by the Committee’s consultant to solicit input into the planning process by each member. (Section 5.2 in Chapter 5 presents complete descriptions of the exercises and their application in the planning process). Representatives from all jurisdictions completed all of the exercises. The information provided from the members’ participation in Committee meetings and in Committee exercises form the basis for this Plan. Results of all exercises are maintained in the EMA offices.
During the 2009 update process, the EMA, through consultation with various members of the Committee, determined to continue the planning process in-house rather than utilize a consultant. The results of the five exercises in 2003 were deemed applicable to the current planning and update process and the exercises were not repeated by the Committee. The Committee met on September 16, 2009 and again on September 25, 2009 with email and telephone exchanges between meetings. Meeting minutes included section-by-section edits and updates to the plan. Meeting agendas, sign-in sheets, and minutes are maintained at the EMA office.
During the 2014 update process, the Committee met on July 31, 2014 and again on September 30, 2014 with email and telephone exchanges between meetings. Meeting minutes included section-by-section edits and updates to the plan. Meeting agendas, sign-in sheets and minutes are maintained at the EMA office.
Those Committee members unable to attend a meeting received agendas and completed Committee minutes and assignments presented via e-mail, telephone, or personal meetings with the Committee Chair or Vice Chair.
3.3 Public Involvement
The Planning Committee solicited public input into the mitigation plan through a public survey, public meetings, the local news media, and an internet website. Residents were encouraged to provide input through their representative on the Committee from each jurisdiction. They were also invited to attend meetings and provide their comments and concerns. On the following pages are a copy of the survey provided to the public and a copy of the notification for the public meeting.
Hazard Mitigation Planning Program
Public Survey
Please rate the severity of risks and threats to our county of the following natural hazards, according to the following scale:
5 = very severe risk/threat
4 = severe risk/threat
3 = moderate risk/threat
2 = slight risk/threat
1= minimal risk/threat
Tornadoes ____ Winter Storms/Freezes ____
Severe Storms ____ Droughts/Heat Waves ____
Floods ____ Dam Failures ____
Landslides ____ Earthquakes ____
Sinkholes
(Land Subsidence) ____
- Do you have any specific concerns for any of the above hazards?
______
______
______
- Do you have any recommendations on how to mitigate (lessen the effects of) one or more of the above hazards?
______
______
______
During the original planning process in 2003-04, a public meeting was held on April 29, 2003, at the Jaycees Building at 2180 Airport Road located in the John Hunt Park vicinity of Huntsville. Attendees were encouraged to complete the above questionnaire. A total of nine questionnaires were returned. Questionnaires and e-mail comments are available at the EMA office. In 2004, a public hearing to receive comments was held by each participating jurisdiction prior to adopting this Plan by resolution, as required by State law. All participating jurisdictions approved the adopting resolutions by unanimous vote of the governing bodies. The original 2004 resolutions and public hearing minutes are kept on file at the EMA offices.
During the 2009 update process, the current version of the plan was posted on the Madison County EMA website: www.madisoncountyema.com/mplan.html with an invitation for the public to comment and suggest updates for the plan via a direct link to email the vice-chair of the Committee. As updates were approved to the plan by the committee and a draft updated version was completed, these were also posted on the website for public comment.
During the 2009 update process, a public meeting was held at 320 Fountain Circle, Huntsville, AL on Wednesday September 30, 2009. A public notice ran as a legal ad in the Huntsville Times on Sunday, September 27, 2009, a copy of the paper is available at the EMA.
During the 2014 update process, a public meeting was held at 320 Fountain Circle, Huntsville, AL on November 5, 2014. The following public notice was sent as an Advisory SMS text and email message using the EMA Nixle public notification system; tweeted by the EMA Twitter account; and ran as a legal ad in the Huntsville Times on October 29, 2014:
PUBLIC NOTICE
A public meeting will be held Wednesday November 5, 2014 in the Huntsville Public Service Building, 320 Fountain Circle, Huntsville, AL 35801 to review the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHMP). The Madison County Hazard Mitigation Committee invites the public to ask questions or offer comments at the meeting.
The public may view the current NHMP online at www.madisoncountyema.com/mplan.html and make comments via an email link on the website. Call 256-427-5130 for information regarding the meeting or the NHMP.
3.4 Interagency and Intergovernmental Coordination
During the 2009 update process, agencies were chosen based on their relation to the original Hazard Mitigation Committee or their interests in hazard mitigation planning. Madison County Health Department employees are also employees of Alabama Department of Public Health. Sharon Scroggins, of NASA, sent comments via email. Alabama A&M and University of Alabama in Huntsville both had representatives on the Committee. The National Weather Service provided data to include in the plan.
During the 2014 update process, the makeup of the Committee changed only slightly. Because the Committee met every year between 2009-2014, the membership was updated annually. Additions since 2009 include: Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority, NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center office of Emergency Management, Alabama A&M University and Oakwood University.
The following agencies participated in the 2014 update process:
Federal Agencies
· National Weather Service – Huntsville Office
· NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center office of Emergency Management
State Agencies
· Alabama Emergency Management Agency
· Alabama Department of Public Health
Regional Agencies
· North Alabama Mutual Aid Association (NAMAA)
Businesses, Academia, Non-Profit Agencies
· University of Alabama at Huntsville
· Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)- Madison County
· Alabama A&M University
· Oakwood University (invited for 30th)
· Huntsville Utilities (non-profit, not a City department)
· Huntsville-Madison County Airport Authority
Adjoining Counties
· Limestone County EMA
3.5 Participating Jurisdictions
During the 2014 update process, the jurisdictions within Madison County have participated in the planning process by direct representation on the planning committee and have committed to adopting the final plan by formal resolution. These jurisdictions include the Madison County Commission and the municipalities of Madison, Huntsville, Owens Crossroads, New Hope, Triana and Gurley.
3.6 Integration with Existing Plans
Since 2004, this document has been incorporated into the Madison County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) administered through the Emergency Management Agency office. The Huntsville-Madison County EMA conducts a yearly review of the EOP in conjunction with the mitigation strategies that are currently in progress or planned for implementation. The EMA will ensure that mitigation strategies are adequately addressed and incorporated to the furthest extent possible in the review cycle for the EOP.
The requirements of this mitigation plan should also be integrated into any revisions of existing comprehensive plans and/or future planning documents at the appropriate time. Specific measures for plan integration are included in the Community Mitigation Action Programs for each jurisdiction (see Chapter 6).
Integrated into this Plan is information from the following plans, studies, and reports, among other resources:
· City of Huntsville Flood Mitigation Plan, Flood Mitigation Planning Committee, 6/01 and subsequent annual evaluation reports
· Year 2025 Transportation Plan, Huntsville Planning Division, 1/00
· Alabama Data Center demographic and economic reports
· NOAA and NWS records
· FEMA and local disaster reports
· Flood Insurance Studies and Flood Insurance Rate Maps
· United States Geological Survey
· US Census
· University of Alabama Data Center information
During the 2009 update process, the City of Huntsville Planning Department discussed with the Committee two Huntsville plans updated since the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) was adopted in 2004. These plans are the:
· City of Huntsville Greenway Plan 2006 update
· City of Huntsville Open Spaces Plan 2004
City of Huntsville Planning has proactively implemented concepts from the NHMP in writing and updating of these two plans. Acquisition of property has been prioritized on the floodplain hazard risk; the highest criteria based on floodplain data. Protecting these areas for habitats, water quality and flood attenuation is a primary goal of the Planning department since adoption of the NHMP. Additionally, the City of Huntsville Planning department has proactively acquired and restored parking lots into green spaces and habitable areas with mitigation in mind.
During the 2014 update process, it was noted by the EMA that the NHMPC was incorporated into a new state required document:
· 2013 Madison County Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA)
3.7 Professional Planning Guidance
In 2003-04, this Plan was prepared under the direction of the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee with the guidance and support of a professional planner - James E. Lehe, AICP, Manager of Lehe Planning, LLC, Urban and Environmental Planning, of Homewood, Alabama.
During the 2009 and 2014 update processes, the services of a consultant were not utilized. The Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee updated the plan in-house with the guidance and support of the Huntsville-Madison County EMA.