DATE: June 24, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Paul Nerland, County Administrative Officer/Emergency Services
Director
David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director of Public Health, Emergency Services Deputy Director
SUBJECT: Updated Fresno County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Adopt Resolution updating the Fresno County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan; and
2. Authorize the Emergency Services Director to implement future updates to the Fresno County Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan in compliance with local, State or Federal codes.
REPORT
Approval of recommended actions will update the County’s Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (Plan). The second recommended action will allow the Emergency Services Director to implement future revisions, as necessary. The update will allow the County to remain eligible for State and Federal pre-disaster mitigation funding. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. The Plan must be updated to allow the County to remain eligible for pre-disaster mitigation funding and enhanced California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) reimbursement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Without an adopted Plan, in the event of a disaster the County will not be eligible for possible additional CDAA funding; conditional CDAA funding would only provide minimal compensatory cost-share. Future funds allocated for pre-disaster mitigation funding will be presented to your Board for approval.
DISCUSSION:
The Board initially adopted this Plan on December 1, 2009, and later approved its update on April 23, 2019. The County’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) managed the Plan's development with coordination from the consultant Witt O’Brien’s LLC. The process included participation from various County departments, cities, and special districts. Public input was sought through public surveys, public forums, and meetings.
Key highlights of this latest update include:
• Reflects updated hazard profiles, including recent disaster data (e.g., wildfire, drought, flooding, and extreme heat events between 2018-2023).
• Includes new mitigation projects aimed at addressing emerging threats such as public safety power shutoffs (PSPS), extreme heat, and critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.
• Updates risk assessments using revised FEMA tools, current GIS data, and more detailed vulnerability analysis.
• Integrates recent land use and development trends to support more informed planning and mitigation prioritization.
• Expands jurisdictional participation to include updated annexes from cities, special districts, and agencies that reflect localized hazard mitigation strategies.
• Ensures ongoing eligibility for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) programs and full CDAA reimbursement by meeting AB 2140 requirements.
Both California OES and FEMA have conditionally approved the updated Plan, pending formal adoption by each jurisdiction’s governing body for final approval.
Mitigation plans form the backbone of a community's strategy to minimize disaster losses and disrupt the cycle of damage, reconstruction, and repeated harm. Investing in mitigation ensures future community safety and sustainability. Mitigation's primary goals are to safeguard public safety, prevent loss of life and injuries, protect existing and future developments, preserve a community’s economic, cultural, and environmental assets, reduce downtime for government and businesses post-disaster, and lower the costs and risks associated with disaster response and recovery. Throughout the planning process, County staff and local jurisdictions identified past and potential future disasters in the County, leading to the creation of mitigation projects aimed at reducing the impact of the most significant potential disasters.
With the Board’s approval of the first recommended action, the updated Plan will guide mitigation activities and resource allocation. To remain eligible for FEMA mitigation project grant funding, the County must review and update the Plan every five years to reflect development changes, progress in mitigation efforts, and shifts in priorities. The second recommended action authorizes the Emergency Services Director to update and modify the Plan as necessary.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #33, April 23, 2019
BAI #19, December 1, 2009
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Resolution
On file with Clerk - 2024 Fresno County Mitigation Plan
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander