A Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) is a living document that communities use to reduce their vulnerability to hazards. It forms the foundation for a community's long-term strategy to reduce disaster losses and creates a framework for decision-making to reduce damages to lives, property, and the economy from future disasters. Examples of mitigation projects include upgrades to critical public facilities, updating ordinances and design standards, and infrastructure improvements. Ultimately, these actions reduce vulnerability, allowing communities to recover faster from disasters. The City of Sugar Land has demonstrated its commitment to reducing disaster losses by initially developing its HMP in 2015.
The City of Sugar Land is working on updating the 2015 Hazard Mitigation Plan. FEMA requires the Hazard Mitigation Plan to be updated every five years. Updates to the HMP allow the City to address changing hazard risks and growth patterns in the City, as well as changes in management strategy. FEMA also requires an approved Plan as a pre-requisite to the City qualifying for mitigation project grant funding. The City has utilized FEMA grant funding previously to improve City infrastructure for disaster preparation.
The City has held 5 public meetings from 2019 to present to discuss and establish the mission statement, goals and objectives, critical facilities, public involvement strategy, and solicit information from key stakeholders, City staff, and other governmental and non-governmental stakeholders with a vested interest in the outcome of the Plan Update has participated.
The revised Plan includes a priority list of mitigation actions and activities to help guide the City in pre- and post-disaster events to minimize the impacts of natural hazards and damage to private and public property.
The Engineering, Public Works, and Emergency Management departments recommend the City Council to approve Resolution 21-09 to adopt the Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2021 Update.