CHAPTER 9. TOWN OF LAMONT ANNEX 9.1 HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN POINT OF CONTACT Trina Lee, Town Clerk 700 Spokane Street Lamont, Washington 99017 Phone: 509-257-2894 e-mail: onesimus@direcway.com 9.2 TOWN PROFILE Population: 95 (as of April 1, 2005) The smallest of Whitman County s cities and towns, Lamont is located in the northwest corner of Whitman County, 39 miles southwest of Spokane. The town encompasses approximately 0.3 square miles at an elevation of 1,949 feet above sea level. Lamont enjoys a temperate climate with an average low temperature of 35.3ºF and an average high temperature of 60ºF. The average annual rain fall for Lamont 16.5 inches. Named after Daniel Lamont, vice president of the rthern Pacific Railroad, the Town of Lamont was incorporated on October 22, 1910 and operates under the laws of the state of Washington applicable to a mayor/council form of government, with five council members and an elected Mayor. The City will assume the responsibility for the adoption and implementation of this plan. The Town of Lamont is a general purpose government and provides water services and solid waste services via contract. The only businesses in the town are the Lamont Grain Growers, the Lamont Middle School and the Lamont Community Church. There are no other businesses coming to town. Based on data from the Washington State Office of Financial Management, Lamont has experienced a relatively flat rate of growth. The overall population increased by 1.3 percent per year from 1990 to 20000, and has decreased by 10 percent from 2000 to 2005. With this rate of growth, the anticipated development trends for Lamont are low to moderate, consisting primarily of residential development. Whitman County and its cities have adopted critical areas and resources lands regulations pursuant to the Growth Management Act, but are not subject to the law s full planning requirements. The Town of Lamont has mechanisms available to manage future development via regulations identified in an adopted zoning ordinance. 9-1
Whitman County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan; Volume 2 Planning Partner Annexes 9.3 NATURAL HAZARD EVENT HISTORY SPECIFIC TO THE CITY Type of Event NATURAL HAZARD EVENTS FEMA Disaster # (if applicable) Date Preliminary Damage Assessment Volcanic Eruption 623 5/21/1980 n/a Ponding/Surface Flow n/a Winter 96/97 n/a Firestorm 91/Wind 922 October 1991 Information not available Severe Weather (Wind) 981 3/4/1993 Information not available Number of FEMA Identified Repetitive Flood Loss Properties: 0 Number of Repetitive Flood Loss Properties that have been mitigated: 0 9.4 NATURAL HAZARD RISK/VULNERABILITY RISK RANKING Rank # Hazard type NATURAL HAZARD RISK RANKING Estimate of Potential Dollar Losses to Structures Vulnerable to the Hazarda Probability of Occurrenceb 1 Wildfire $624,372 High 2 Severe Weather $15,610 High 3 Earthquake $6,865 Medium 4 Volcano $1,561 Low 5 Drought measurable impact on structuresc High 6 Flood identified Floodplain High a. Building damage ratio estimates based on FEMA 386-2 (August 2001) b. High = Hazard event is likely to occur within 25 years; Medium = Hazard event is likely to occur within 100 years; Low = Hazard event is not likely to occur within 100 years c. Although this event would not impact structures, it could have an economic impact related to drought s impact on farming. 9.5 COALITION PARTNER CITY CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT This section identifies the following capabilities of the local jurisdiction: Legal and regulatory capability Administrative and technical capability Fiscal capability Community classification. 9-2
9. TOWN OF LAMONT ANNEX 9.5.1 Legal and Regulatory Capability Regulatory Tools (Codes, Ordinances. Plans) Local Authority LEGAL AND REGULATORY CAPABILITY Prohibitions (State or Federal) Other Jurisdictional Authority State Mandated Comments 1.) Building Code Yes Yes Yes International Building Code (IBC) implemented via inter-local agreement with Whitman County. 11/22/05 2.) Zoning Ordinance Yes Yes Adopted via inter-local agreement with Whitman County. 07/12/04 3.) Subdivision Ordinance 4.) Special Purpose Ordinances (floodplain management, critical or sensitive areas) 5.) Growth Management 6.) Floodplain Management or Basin plan 7.) Stormwater Management Plan 8.) Plan or Comprehensive Plan 9.) Capital Improvements Plan 10.) Site Plan review requirements 11.) Habitat Conservation Plan 12.) Economic development plan 13.) Emergency Response plan 14.) Shoreline Management Plan 15.) Post Disaster Recovery Plan 16.) Post Disaster Recovery Ordinance 17.) Real Estate Disclosure requirement Yes Critical areas and resource lands only. Yes Water/Roads: 6 year CIP updated annually. Yes Whitman County. Part of IBC Yes Yes RCW 64.06 9-3
Whitman County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan; Volume 2 Planning Partner Annexes 9.5.2 Administrative and Technical Capability ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL CAPABILITY Staff/Personnel Resources Available Department/Agency/Position 1.) Planners or Engineers with knowledge of land development and land management practices 2.) Engineers or Professionals trained in construction practices related to buildings and/or infrastructure 3.) Planners or engineers with an understanding of natural hazards Yes 4.) Floodplain Manager Water: Century West t internal, but available thru contract as needed Can contract for services. 5.) Surveyors Can contract for services. 6.) Personnel skilled or trained in GIS applications 7.) Scientist familiar with natural hazards in Whitman County 8.) Emergency Manager Resources are available from Whitman County. 9.) Grant Writers Yes Town has limited experience in grant writing. 10.) Staff with expertise or training in benefit/cost analysis 9.5.3 Fiscal Capability Financial Resources FISCAL CAPABILITY Accessible or Eligible to Use (Yes//Don t know) 1.) Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Yes 2.) Capital Improvements Project ing Yes 3.) Authority to Levy Taxes for specific Purposes Yes 4.) User fees for water, sewer, gas or electric service Yes 5.) Impact Fees for homebuyers or developers of new development/homes 6.) Incur debt through general obligation bonds Yes, but not active 7.) Incur debt through special tax bonds 8.) Incur debt through private activity bonds 9.) Withhold public expenditures in hazard-prone areas 10.) State sponsored grant programs such as FCAAP 11.) Other n/a 9-4
9. TOWN OF LAMONT ANNEX 9.5.4 Community Classifications The classifications in the following table address capabilities in all phases of emergency management (preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation). They are used in determining costs for various forms of insurance. COMMUNITY CLASSIFICATIONS Program Classification Date Classified Community Rating System (CRS) n/a n/a Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) 3/3 1998 Public Protection 9 10/1/2005 Firewise n/a n/a Storm Ready n/a n/a * Higher classification applies to when subject property is located beyond 1,000 feet of a creditable fire hydrant and is within 5 road miles of a recognized fire station. The CRS class applies to flood insurance; the BCEGS and Public Protection classifications apply to standard property insurance. Classifications are on a scale of 1 to 10, with Class 1 being the best possible classification, and Class 10 representing no classification benefit. Criteria for classification credits are outlined in the Community Rating System Coordinators Manual, the Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule, and the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule. The Firewise program outlines ways for participating communities to promote land uses that reduce fire risk in wildland/urban interface areas. The Storm Ready program outlines public warning activities related to severe weather for participating communities. 9.6 PROPOSED NATURAL HAZARD MITIGATION INITIATIVES MITIGATION INITIATIVES/ACTION PLAN Mitigation Initiative Hazards Initiative Addresses Administrating Agency ing Sources Time Linea Goalsb Objectivesb 1.) Consider joining NFIP; Perform flood study Flood 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 8, 9, 10 2.) Consider joining the Firewise program and implementing program sponsored initiatives within town that are within the capabilities of Town resources. Wildfire 1, 2, 3 2, 6, 7, 8 3.) Public education to minimize impact of wildfire and other natural hazards that can impact Lamont Wildfire DOF 1, 2, 3 2, 4, 7 9-5
Whitman County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan; Volume 2 Planning Partner Annexes MITIGATION INITIATIVES/ACTION PLAN Mitigation Initiative Hazards Initiative Addresses Administrating Agency ing Sources Time Linea Goalsb Objectivesb 4.) Support countywide initiatives that promote the education of the public on the impacts of natural hazards within Whitman County, and the preparedness for and the mitigation of those impacts. This support will be in the form of dissemination of appropriate information to the residents of Lamont and continuing support/participation in the Whitman County Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Partnership. All Hazards Ongoing 1, 2, 3 2, 6, 7 5.) Utilize information provided in the Whitman County HIVA to consider regulatory provisions that will reduce the vulnerability, and promote wise land use with regards to hazards that impact the Town of Lamont All Hazards Long 1, 2, 3 1, 4, 7, 9, 10 6.) Continue to coordinate and work with Whitman County Emergency Management in disaster response and preparedness. This level of coordination should include: updates to the Emergency response plan, development of a post disaster action plan, training and support. All Hazards Ongoing 1, 2, 3 2, 4, 6 a. term = 1 to 5 years; Long term = 5 years or greater, OG = Ongoing program, DOF=Depending on ing b. See Volume 1, Chapter 5, Section 5.3.1 and Table 5-1. 9.7 PRIORITIZATION OF MITIGATION INITIATIVES Initiative # PRIORITIZATION OF MITIGATION INITIATIVES # of Objectives Met Benefits Costs Do benefits equal or exceed costs? Is project grant eligible? Can project be funded under existing programs/ budgets? Priority (High, Med., Low) 1 5 Medium Low Yes Yes High 2 4 Low Low Yes Yes High 3 3 Low Low Yes Yes Medium 4 3 Low Low Yes Yes High 5 5 Low Low Yes Yes High 6 3 Low Low Yes Yes High 9-6
9. TOWN OF LAMONT ANNEX 9.7.1 Explanation of Priorities High Priority A project that meets multiple objectives (i.e., multiple hazards), has benefits that exceed cost, has funding secured or is an ongoing project and meets eligibility requirements for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) or Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program (PDM). High priority projects can be completed in the short term (1 to 5 years). Medium Priority A project that meets goals and objectives, that has benefits that exceed costs, and for which funding has not been secured but project is grant eligible under HMGP, PDM or other grant programs. Project can be completed in the short term, once funding is secured. Medium priority projects will become high priority projects once funding is secured. Low Priority A project that will mitigate the risk of a hazard, that has benefits that do not exceed the costs or are difficult to quantify, for which funding has not been secured, that is not eligible for HMGP or PDM grant funding, and for which the time line for completion is long term (1 to 10 years). Low priority projects may be eligible for other sources of grant funding from other programs. Prioritization of initiatives was based on above definitions X Prioritization of initiatives was based on parameters other than stated above: X 9.8 FUTURE NEEDS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND RISK/VULNERABILITY Once tools and technology such as GIS become available for the Whitman County planning area, the HIVA needs to be updated in a map format so this information can be better used as a planning and public outreach tool. 9.9 ADDITIONAL COMMENTS The financial resources available to the Town of Lamont are extremely limited. With the changed tax structure of Washington State severely affecting the budgets of small cities and towns, implementation of many of the recommendations of this plan will be contingent upon the following factors: Grant funding for eligible projects Cost sharing within the partnership Partnering with other Stakeholders within the planning area Leveraging all technical resources to maximize all funding options. The Town of Lamont is committed to pursuing all of these factors to ensure successful implementation of the initiatives identified by this plan. 9-7
Whitman County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan; Volume 2 Planning Partner Annexes 9-8