MITIGATION STRATEGY
“Section 201.6(c)(3) of the mitigation planning regulation requires jurisdictions to develop a mitigation strategy. The mitigation strategy serves as the long-term blueprint for reducing the potential losses identified in the risk assessment. The mitigation strategy includes the development of goals, objectives, and prioritized mitigation actions.”
The development of goals, and the actions or projects to meet these goals are based on the town’s abilities under state law; as zoning, wetlands and health regulations; and the financial resources available to Dennis to reduce losses and vulnerability from hazards. The goals are long-term policy statements that support the mitigation strategy. An example of a goal for an urban wildfire hazard could be, “Minimize urban wildfire losses.” From there, the Town would look at objectives to to attain the goals, for instance. Unlike goals, objectives are specific and measurable, such as, “Increase the use of sprinklers in centralized urban settings.”
Following the identification of goals and objectives, the mitigation planning regulation at 44 CFR Part 201 requires Dennis to identify, analyze, and prioritize alternative actions by hazard types. These actions must be quite specific. An example of an action for an urban wildfire hazard might be “Seek grant opportunities to promote urban revitalization and fire prevention in Dennisport.”
The federal guidance recommends that Dennis develop actions that can be implemented by using local tools, such as capital improvement budgets, special district funds, or implementing changes in by-laws, policies, or procedures. The guidance also wants us to consider mitigation actions that may not be currently feasible, but may become a realistic possibility following a disaster event (acquiring property that may be destroyed by flooding). Access to State or Federal funds may enable Dennis to accomplish actions during post-disaster recovery.
We are required, after five years of implementing the mitigation strategy, to update these goals and actions. In the plan update, goals and objectives may be reaffirmed or updated based on current conditions, including the completion of mitigation initiatives, an updated or new risk assessment. At five year intervals we will be required to review the changes in Dennis since the previous plan was approved to determine whether goals have been met or if they remain consistent with current conditions.
This section will list potential loss reduction actions and analyze various actions that achieve our stated goals and objectives to reduce or avoid the effects of the hazards in this report. The section includes a comprehensive range of mitigation actions and consists of multiple mitigation actions for each profiled hazard.
This section outlines Dennis’s overall strategy to reduce our community’s vulnerability to the effects of natural hazards. It has been separated into the following two distinct sections:
Mitigation Objectives – these are designed to support and correspond directly with the Community Goals (see Section 1).
Mitigation Actions – these are specific measures to be undertaken by the Town in order to achieve identified objectives. Each action identifies the objective it is intended to achieve, includes some general background information justifying the proposed action, and provides measures to assure successful and timely implementation.
Also important to note is that each Mitigation Objective and Mitigation Action is designed to be performance-based, making it easier for the Town of Dennis to measure the Plan’s progress over time and during the Plan’s future evaluations.
It is expected that while the Community Goals established in Section I may remain the same for an extended period of time, the objectives and actions included in this Mitigation Strategy will be updated and /or revised through regular enhancements to this Plan.
4.1 Mitigation Objectives
The following objectives have been formulated to support and to correspond directly with the Community Goals in Section 1. These objectives have been developed also to provide the Town with measurable short-term milestones.
• Goal #1: Reduce the loss of life, property, infrastructure, and environmental and cultural resources in the Town from natural disasters.
1a. Preserve the natural and beneficial functions of the town’s floodplain, wetlands, beaches and dunes through continued support of natural resource protection policies and by discouraging growth in environmentally sensitive areas.
1b. Enhance the Town’s capability to conduct hazard risk assessments, demonstrate funding needs, and track mitigation activities throughout town (whether directly as part of this plan, or indirectly through the normal course of business).
1c. Ensure that all new construction is completed using wind-resistant design techniques that will limit damage caused by high winds and reduce the amount of wind-borne debris.
1d. Ensure that all municipal structural mitigation measures be coordinated with Town Boards and Commissions to review a project’s sensitivity to natural features, historic resources and community character.
• Goal #2: Coordinate local hazard mitigation planning and activities with those of Barnstable County and neighboring towns.
2a. Ensure that current emergency services are adequate to protect public health and safety. Ensure coordination with neighboring towns and County emergency services.
• Goal #3: Seek for and take advantage of funding opportunities to implement the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan.
3a. Maximize the use available hazard mitigation grant programs to protect the Town’s most vulnerable populations and structures.
3b Make use of available land preservations funds, including Community Preservation Act funding, to acquire critical repetitive loss parcels to return to open space.
• Goal #4: Mitigate potential financial losses incurred by municipal, residential and commercial establishments due to disaster.
4a. Ensure that all critical facilities are protected from the effects of natural hazards to the maximum extent possible.
4b. Ensure that new construction within high hazard areas are completed using wind-resistant design techniques that will limit damage caused by high winds and reduce the amount of wind-borne debris.
4c. Decrease the number of FEMA-identified “repetitive loss properties” from 14 currently to 10 by the year 2010.
• Goal #5: Develop and conduct hazard awareness information and educational programs for the public.
5a. Increase the level of knowledge and awareness for Town residents on the hazards that are potential threats to the area.
5b. Educate property owners on the affordable, individual mitigation and preparedness measures that can be taken before the next hazard event.
5c. Educate Town staff on cost-effective, mitigation and preparedness measures that can be taken before the next hazard event.
4.2 Mitigation Actions
In formulating this Mitigation Strategy, a wide range of activities were considered in order to help achieve the goals of the community and to lessen the vulnerability of the Town of Dennis to the effects of natural hazards. In general, all of these activities fall into one of the following broad categories of mitigation techniques.
Mitigation Techniques
1. Prevention
Preventative activities are intended to keep hazard problems from getting worse. They are particularly effective in reducing a community’s future vulnerability, especially in areas where development has not occurred or capital improvements have not been substantial. Examples of preventative activities include:
• Planning and Zoning
• Open space preservation
• Floodplain regulations
• Storm water management
• Drainage system maintenance
• Capital improvements programming
• Shoreline/ riverine/ fault zone setbacks
• Capital improvement programming
2. Property Protection
Property protection measures protect existing structures by modifying the building to withstand hazardous events, or removing structures from hazardous locations. Examples include:
• Acquisition
• Relocation
• Building elevation
• Critical facilities protection
• Retrofitting (i.e., windproofing, floodproofing, etc.)
• Safe rooms
• Insurance
• Installing shutters for wind protection
3. Natural Resource Protection
Natural resource protection activities reduce the impact of natural hazards by preserving or restoring natural areas and their mitigative functions. Such areas include floodplains, wetlands and dunes. Parks, recreation or conservation agencies and organizations often implement these measures. Examples include:
• Floodplain protection
• Beach and dune preservation
• Riparian buffers
• Fire resistant landscaping
• Fuel Breaks
• Erosion and sediment control
• Wetland preservation and restoration
• Habitat preservation
• Slope stabilization
4. Structural Projects
Structural mitigation projects are intended to lessen the impact of a hazard by modifying the environmental natural progression of the hazard event. They are usually designed by engineers and managed or maintained by public works staff. Examples include:
• Reservoirs
• Levees/dikes/floodwalls/seawalls
• Diversions/Detention/Retention
• Channel modification
• Beach nourishment
• Storm sewers
5. Emergency Services
Although not typically considered a “mitigation technique,” emergency service measures do minimize the impact of a hazard event on people and property. These commonly are actions taken immediately prior to, during, or in response to a hazard event. Examples include:
• Warning systems (“Reverse 911”)
• Evacuation planning and management
• Sandbagging for flood protection
6. Public Information and Awareness
Public Information and awareness activities are used to advise residents, business owners, potential property buyers, and visitors about hazards, hazardous areas, and mitigation techniques they can use to protect themselves and their property. Examples of measures to educate and inform the public include:
• Outreach projects
• Speaker series/demonstration events
• Hazard map information
• Real estate disclosure
• Library materials
• School children education
• Hazard expositions
4.3 Prioritization of Action Items
Actions that will be undertaken to implement effective hazard mitigation in high risk areas in the Town of Dennis are consistent with the State and County approach of using both non-structural and structural projects, and to use a non-structural hazard mitigation approach before undertaking a structural approach.
• A non-structural hazard mitigation approach is a strategy that does not change the natural hazard, but involves preventative actions that improve infrastructure to reduce the damages, or improve coordination of resources.
• A structural hazard mitigation approach involves strategies that inhibit a natural hazard, such as a sea wall or dam.
4.4 Action Items
It is important to note that these mitigation actions are short-term, specific measures to be undertaken by Dennis. It is expected this component of the MHM Plan will be the most dynamic; it will be used as the primary indicator to measure the Plan’s progress over time and will be routinely updated and/or revised through future planning efforts.
The section is broken down in the following manner for each hazard (it is possible that particular actions will be viable for more than one hazard or approach (i.e. prevention and property protection could have similar recommendations:
“* Prevention: Government administrative or regulatory actions or processes that influence the way land and buildings are developed and built. These actions also include public activities to reduce hazard losses. Examples include planning and zoning, building codes, capital improvement programs, open space preservation, and storm water management regulations.
“* Property Protection: Actions that involve the modification of existing buildings or infrastructure to protect them from a hazard, or removal from the hazard area. Examples include acquisition, elevation, relocation, structural retrofits, flood proofing, storm shutters, and shatter-resistant glass.
“* Public Education & Awareness: Actions to inform and educate citizens, elected officials, and property owners about potential risks from hazards and potential ways to mitigate them. Such actions include outreach projects, real estate disclosure, hazard information centers, and school-age and adult education programs.
“* Natural Resource Protection: Actions that, in addition to minimizing hazard losses also preserve or restore the functions of natural systems. These actions include sediment and erosion control, stream corridor restoration, watershed management, forest and vegetation management, and wetland restoration and preservation.
“* Structural Projects: Actions that involve the construction of structures to reduce the impact of a hazard. Such structures include storm water controls (e.g., culverts), floodwalls, seawalls, retaining walls, and safe rooms.”
Further, each action will be reviewed in Accordance with the STAPLEE criteria:
S
Social
The public must support the overall implementation strategy and specific mitigation actions. Therefore, the projects will have to be evaluated in terms of community acceptance.
T
Technical
It is important to determine if the proposed action is technically feasible, will help to reduce losses in the long term, and has minimal secondary impacts. Determine whether the alternative action is a whole or partial solution, or not a solution at all.
A
Administrative
Under this part of the evaluation criteria, examine the anticipated staffing, funding, and maintenance requirements for the mitigation action to determine if the jurisdiction has the personnel and administrative capabilities necessary to implement the action or whether outside help will be needed.
P
Political
Understanding how your current community and State political leadership feels about issues related to the environment, economic development, safety, and emergency management. This will provide valuable insight into the level of political support have for mitigation activities and programs. Proposed mitigation objectives sometimes fail because of a lack of political acceptability.
L
Legal
Without the appropriate legal authority, the action cannot lawfully be undertaken. When considering this criterion, determine whether your jurisdiction has the legal authority at the State, or local level to implement the action, or whether the jurisdiction must pass new laws or regulations. Each level of government operates under a specific source of delegated authority. As a general rule, most local governments operate under enabling legislation that gives them the power to engage in different activities. Identify the unit of government undertaking the mitigation action, and include an analysis of the interrelationships between local, regional, State, and Federal governments. Legal authority is likely to have a significant role later in the process when your State, or community will have to determine how mitigation activities can best be carried out, and to what extent mitigation policies and programs can be enforced.
E
Economic
Every local and State government experiences budget constraints at one time or another. Cost-effective mitigation actions that can be funded in current or upcoming budget cycles are much more likely to be implemented than mitigation actions requiring general obligation bonds or other instruments that would incur long-term debt to a community. States and local communities with tight budgets or budget shortfalls may be more willing to undertake a mitigation initiative if it can be funded, at least in part, by outside sources. “Big ticket” mitigation actions, such as large-scale acquisition and relocation, are often considered for implementation in a post-disaster scenario when additional Federal and State funding for mitigation is available.
E
Environmental
Impact on the environment is an important consideration because of public desire for sustainable and environmentally healthy communities and the many statutory considerations, such as NEPA, to keep in mind when using Federal funds. You will need to evaluate whether, when implementing mitigation actions, there would be negative consequences to environmental assets such as threatened and endangered species, wetlands, and other protected natural resources.
Further, each item will be broken down further based upon suggestions by the Cape Cod Commission into subsections under the STAPLEE criteria. The detailed discussion of each strategy can be found in Appendix 4-1 at the end of this section. Below is a prioritized review of the town’s recommended strategies with appropriate implementing agencies identified.
| STRATEGY | HAZARDS ADDRESSED | STAPLEE SCORE | RESPONSIBLE AGENCY |
| Increase public awareness of Flood Zone Issues, including use of town website and Dennis Planning Department Weblog | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) | 64 | Dennis Planning Department |
| Regulatory – Coastal Bank Setbacks | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise); Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change)
|
63 | Planning Board, Zoning By-law Study Committee, Conservation Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals |
| Inform public about new building code requirements | Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters) | 61 | Building Department, Planning Department |
| Building Standards | Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters)
|
60 | Building Department |
| Promote strategies that lead to reinvestment of older properties in at risk areas, i.e. village centers and cottage colony areas | Wildfire | 60 | Fire Department |
| Regulating construction projects within and adjacent to protected wetlands. | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) | 58 | Conservation Commission |
| Wetland Protection By-law application to coastal dunes – i.e. elevate structures to allow shifting sands across the footprint of structures. | Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change) | 58 | Conservation Commission |
| Flyers, signage and other information on erosion and the importance of our dunes. | Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change) | 57 | Natural Resources, Planning Department |
| Barrier Beach Management Plan Committee | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise)
|
56 | Barrier Beach Restoration Committee, Natural Resources Department |
| Conduct informational workshops regarding strategies to reduce wildfire risk within wildland and residential interface | Wildfire | 56 | Natural Resources, Planning Department, Fire Department |
| Conduct informational workshops regarding strategies to reduce urban wildfire risk. | Wildfire | 56 | Fire Department |
| Pursue available grants for retrofits of private and public facilities. With the completion of this document Dennis intends to start pursuing federal grant monies to elevate structures above flood level. | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise); Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters) | 54 | Dennis Planning Department, Natural Resources Department, Board of Selectmen |
| Flood Zone Construction Standards. | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise)
|
54 | Building Department |
| Physical intervention – restoring river flow (culverts) | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) | 54 | Department of Public Works, Engineering Department, Natural Resources |
| Land Acquisition within floodplain/Ongoing. | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise)
|
52 | Board of Selectmen, Community Preservation Committee, Dennis Land Trust |
| Storm water Control | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise)
|
50 | Building Department, Engineering Department, Planning Board |
| Change FEMA Flood Insurance Program as it relates to properties totally destroyed by flooding such that these properties are taken for the value of the premium payout. Requires changes at the federal level and is outside town control. | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) | 46 | FEMA, Congress |
| Reduce Fuel Sources through mechanical devices, prescribed burns or selective cutting | Wildfire | 45 | Natural Resources, Department of Public Works |
| Beach and Dune Replenishment | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise); Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters); Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change)
|
42 | Barrier Beach Restoration Committee, Natural Resources Department |
| Beach armoring | Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise)
|
41 | Private, Conservation Commission, Department of Public Works |
IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM (NFIP)
Requirement §201.6(c)(3)(ii):
[The mitigation strategy] must also address the jurisdiction’s participation in the NFIP, and continued compliance with NFIP requirements, as appropriate.
The Town of Dennis participates in the NFIP. The town has worked with FEMA in 2009 to coordinate the public review of proposed flood boundary changes and will adopt the necessary Zoning, Wetland and Board of Health regulations in early 2010 to continue this participation. This participation is based on an agreement between Dennis and FEMA which will be renewed in 2010 as necessary. Dennis cooperates with FEMA and the NFIP on its three basic aspects: 1) floodplain identification and mapping (i.e. the public review process for the 2009 floodplain changes); 2) floodplain management (as documented in Dennis Zoning, Wetlands and Health Regulations); and 3) flood insurance (a major component of the 2009 floodplain revisions review).
As part of the town’s participation in NFIP Dennis has adopted the current flood maps (1986 and 1992) and will adopt the 2009 maps in May of 2010. The town recognizes that these maps creates broad-based awareness of the flood hazards in Dennis and provides the data needed to administer floodplain programs and to actuarially rate new construction for flood insurance.
Dennis, as a participant in NFIP, has adopted and enforces floodplain management regulations through Zoning, Wetlands and Health Regulations to mitigate the effects of flooding on new and improved structures.
Dennis’ participation in the NFIP enables property owners to purchase insurance as a protection against flood losses. Dennis also encourages property owners to understand the NFIP program as evidenced by the August 3, 2009 workshop held with FEMA to explain NFIP and the map revision process.
Dennis is commited to continued compliance with the NFIP. And will continue to:
* Adopt and enforce floodplain management requirements, this includes our Zoning Wetlands and Health Regulations which require that structures which are substantially improved within Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) must meet NFIP standards;
* The town will continue to work with FEMA and state officials on floodplain identification and mapping, as necessary the town will initiate requests for map updates – in particular the town will work with FEMA on the further exploration of changes associated with the initial May 2009 maps which identified a much larger potential flood hazard area than what was ultimately proposed as changes for Dennis; and
* Dennis will continue to provide of community assistance and monitoring activities to FEMA, state officials and local residents as it applies to floodplain management.
Next: Appendix 4.1 TOWN OF DENNIS IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES EVALUATION MATRIX
Section 5 Draft Implementation and Adoption of This Plan
December 13, 2009
|
STRATEGY |
HAZARDS ADDRESSED |
STAPLEE SCORE |
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY |
|
Increase public awareness of Flood Zone Issues, including use of town website and Dennis Planning Department Weblog |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
64 |
Dennis Planning Department |
|
Regulatory – Coastal Bank Setbacks |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise); Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change) |
63 |
Planning Board, Zoning By-law Study Committee, Conservation Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals |
|
Inform public about new building code requirements |
Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters) |
61 |
Building Department, Planning Department |
|
Building Standards |
Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters) |
60 |
Building Department |
|
Promote strategies that lead to reinvestment of older properties in at risk areas, i.e. village centers and cottage colony areas |
Wildfire |
60 |
Fire Department |
|
Regulating construction projects within and adjacent to protected wetlands. |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
58 |
Conservation Commission |
|
Wetland Protection By-law application to coastal dunes – i.e. elevate structures to allow shifting sands across the footprint of structures. |
Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change) |
58 |
Conservation Commission |
|
Flyers, signage and other information on erosion and the importance of our dunes. |
Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change) |
57 |
Natural Resources, Planning Department |
|
Barrier Beach Management Plan Committee |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
56 |
Barrier Beach Restoration Committee, Natural Resources Department |
|
Conduct informational workshops regarding strategies to reduce wildfire risk within wildland and residential interface |
Wildfire |
56 |
Natural Resources, Planning Department, Fire Department |
|
Conduct informational workshops regarding strategies to reduce urban wildfire risk. |
Wildfire |
56 |
Fire Department |
|
Pursue available grants for retrofits of private and public facilities. With the completion of this document Dennis intends to start pursuing federal grant monies to elevate structures above flood level. |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise); Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters) |
54 |
Dennis Planning Department, Natural Resources Department, Board of Selectmen |
|
Flood Zone Construction Standards. |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
54 |
Building Department |
|
Physical intervention – restoring river flow (culverts) |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
54 |
Department of Public Works, Engineering Department, Natural Resources |
|
Land Acquisition within floodplain/Ongoing. |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
52 |
Board of Selectmen, Community Preservation Committee, Dennis Land Trust |
|
Storm water Control |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
50 |
Building Department, Engineering Department, Planning Board |
|
Change FEMA Flood Insurance Program as it relates to properties totally destroyed by flooding such that these properties are taken for the value of the premium payout. Requires changes at the federal level and is outside town control. |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
46 |
FEMA, Congress |
|
Reduce Fuel Sources through mechanical devices, prescribed burns or selective cutting |
Wildfire |
45 |
Natural Resources, Department of Public Works |
|
Beach and Dune Replenishment |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise); Wind (from hurricanes, coastal storms, nor’easters); Shoreline erosion (from shoreline change) |
42 |
Barrier Beach Restoration Committee, Natural Resources Department |
|
Beach armoring |
Flood (coastal storm surge, storm tides & wave action, erosion, and sea level rise) |
41 |
Private, Conservation Commission, Department of Public Works |
