Laguna Beach gets to work on planning for fires, floods and other hazards
The city of Laguna Beach, which has had its share of disasters including floods and wildfires, received a $100,000 grant to identify areas susceptible to such hazards and provide recommendations to lessen damage from future disasters.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency grant is helping the city develop a local hazard mitigation plan, the first such plan for Laguna, according to a news release.
The plan will summarize both natural and human-caused hazards that pose threats.
“For example, let’s say there is waterway that is not big enough to handle water that comes down,” Jordan Villwock, the city’s emergency operations coordinator, said in a phone interview. “Here’s what we can do to lessen the damage.”
Several groups will contribute to the plan, including public safety officials, city staff members, Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Committee members, and technical consultants, the release said.
Community input will be crucial in this effort, Villwock said.
The city plans to release a draft of the plan for public review in January with final adoption scheduled for summer 2018. Laguna must get approval from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and FEMA, the release said.
In addition to protecting Laguna Beach from current and future hazards, having a plan will make the city eligible for additional FEMA grants, and disaster relief funding from the state, according to the release.
The city will hold public workshops at 6 p.m. Sept. 14 and Oct. 18 at the Laguna Beach Community & Susi Q Center, at 380 Third St.
For more information, contact Villwock at (949) 497-0389 or by email at jvillwock@lagunabeachcity.net.
Twitter: @AldertonBryce
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