Public Participation
Importance
When we talk about mitigation in the State of Florida, it may mean different things to different people. Regardless of these differences, a diverse community of interests benefits from hazard mitigation planning--particularly when a local government’s mitigation strategy address needs identified by the public. Public participation in this strategy process starts with education about the importance of hazard mitigation. The public includes all of the residents of the community, including property owners and tenants, businesses, managers of critical facilities, farmers and developers, as well as commuters and tourists.
Public participation requires involving these groups in developing the local mitigation strategy. This will help to guarantee that the public is knowledgeable of and has worked to establish ownership over the strategy. Some members of the public may even be able to assist with data collection and plan writing, making the planning process more efficient and reflective of local concerns. The general public often bears the financial brunt of policies and projects designed to reduce disaster costs, and usually at the worst time - after a disaster event. Early public support of the local mitigation strategy will help deal with a large number of post-disaster requests for special exemptions to rebuild victims’ properties to pre-disaster conditions.
Expectations
An initial public education effort is required to ensure that community residents are informed of the importance of hazard mitigation planning. The next step toward ensuring that the public is involved in developing the local mitigation strategy is to establish a working group to oversee the strategic planning process. The local governmental chief appointed official should take responsibility for establishing a balanced working group. The public should help establish the task force and be well-represented in its membership. Although a task force is likely to function best if it includes a core of people accustomed to working together, such as a planning board, all agencies of local government, including emergency management, community development, public works, building department, conservation department, liaisons to other governmental entities, as well as public and private sector representatives may be included in the broad-based group tasked to develop the local mitigation strategy. The working group should be formalized through a resolution that also establishes the local mitigation strategy. Formal adoption of the hazard mitigation strategy and the working group will accomplish two things: 1) it will ensure that the local mitigation strategy will meet the funding requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Mitigation Assistance Program; and 2) it will to provide the working group with the authority to implement the post-storm components of the hazard mitigation strategy in the aftermath of a disaster.
After the working group is operational it can be used to develop procedures encouraging public participation in the development and revision of the local mitigation strategy. In addition to drafting the strategy, the working group may assist in implementing fundamental mitigation initiatives, such as conducting further community outreach presentations on coastal hazards, insurance, retrofitting, and other important issues. The necessary public participation in the mitigation process can be maintained through such educational efforts.
Guidance
Information on promoting public participation can be found in the Community Rating System Commentary Guide (1996), Section 163, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 9J-5, Florida Administrative Code. These documents emphasize the importance of getting information to the public in a timely manner, encouraging citizens to attend public meetings, and putting together wide ranging outreach projects. It is important to start simple with a manageably-sized task force and a straightforward process of public participation.
Public Participation: Examples
| The Community Rating System
Commentary Public Information Activities |
If a community wants to obtain
lower insurance premiums, it can implement outreach projects that focus on hazard
mitigation issues like building construction requirements and regulations, the beneficial
functions of natural systems (beaches and dunes, wetlands, floodplains), and hazard area
identification. Contact: Mr. Leroy Thompson, Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Recovery and Mitigation, tel. 850-413-9958. |
| Community Rating System Floodplain Management Planning |
A community can also receive
Community Rating System credits by involving the public in floodplain management activities, such as holding
meetings or distributing questionnaires to obtain public input on floodplain problems.
Communities can also hold public meetings after the draft plan has been developed for
further comments and can provide a written public comment and consideration period. Contact: Mr. Leroy Thompson, Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Recovery and Mitigation, tel. 850-413-9958. |
| The City of Key West Post-Storm Redevelopment Draft Ordinance |
The City of Key West has drafted
an ordinance that establishes a post-storm redevelopment task force that includes
community members. The members of the task force represent the various neighborhood and
interest-based groups in the City. A main focus of the task force is to encourage public
participation in the post-storm redevelopment planning and review process. Contact: City of Key West Planning Department, tel. 305-292-8229. |
| The Federal Emergency Management Agency
and the Cascadia Region Earthquake Workgroup (CREW) |
Through a public-private
partnership, the Federal Emergency Management Agency Region X staff and CREW, a group comprised of representatives from
business, lifeline organizations, engineering, government, and area universities, have
coordinated to address hazard mitigation in the Pacific Northwest. In response to the
threat of a great Cascadia Subduction Zone quake, CREW was formed to develop and promote
cost-effective multi-hazard mitigation initiatives. the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Region X staff have been working
with CREW on these mitigation initiatives. Contact: Mr. Jack Bernhardsen, CREW Chairperson, tel. 206-502-8707 |
Public Participation Guidelines
- Identify policies to establish a local mitigation working
group to oversee the development of the local mitigation strategy.
- Identify procedures to ensure that a cross-section of the
community has input in the planning process. [Include detailed steps from the
Community Rating System Commentary Guide, July 1996, page 510-4,5].
- Identify procedures to coordinate local government mitigation
activities with those of the business community.
- Identify procedures for formally recognizing the local mitigation strategy, such as through adopting the plans and policies that constitute the strategy. [Adoption of a floodplain management plan which may form a portion of the strategy will gain credit under the Community Rating System and is a requirement for this plan to be recognized as a community’s Flood Mitigation Plan, pursuant to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Mitigation Assistance Program criteria.]