Hazard Mitigation Plan: A roadmap to reduce potential damage from earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters
Posted on 11/08/2024

Sign up to stay informed about City plan to reduce potential damage from earthquakes, wildfires, or other natural disasters

Published November 8, 2024


Sign up for email updates to stay informed about a City project to develop a roadmap showing what Piedmont can do now to reduce or avoid potential damages from natural hazards like earthquakes, wildfires, and severe weather.

This project, an update to the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, officially kicks off on Wednesday, November 13th with the first meeting of the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee – the core group that will develop the plan. Over the next nine months, the project team will work with this Committee and the broader community to:

  • Study the natural hazards that pose risk to Piedmont
  • Understand and document the specific ways each of these hazards could impact Piedmont if they were to occur, including damage to people and property, critical facilities and infrastructure, and our local economy
  • Identify and prioritize actions that we could take now that would prevent or reduce those impacts, such as retrofitting or rebuilding critical facilities, strengthening building codes, or developing programs to help residents make their properties more resilient

This work will come together to form the updated mitigation plan, which will be submitted to FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services for approval after the City Council adopts it. Receiving approval from these two agencies will ensure Piedmont is eligible for state and federal disaster assistance and mitigation grants.

Community participation essential to mitigation plan development

Community members will have multiple opportunities help shape the mitigation plan, including:

  • sharing their personal experience of natural hazards in Piedmont, which will inform the risk assessment
  • brainstorming and helping prioritize actions that could mitigate hazard impacts at a community workshop or via an online survey
  • providing feedback on the complete draft plan before it is finalized

Throughout the mitigation plan development process, the project team will provide updates and invite community input at meetings of the City’s Public Safety Committee. Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee meetings are also open to the public.

Stay informed and learn more at upcoming meetings

Learn more about hazard mitigation and the process of developing the mitigation plan at two upcoming meetings:

Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee
Wednesday, November 13, 1-4pm
Piedmont Veterans Memorial Building, 401 Highland Avenue

Public Safety Committee
Thursday, December 5, 5:30pm
Piedmont City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue

Project team members will also be sharing information and answering questions at the City’s Adult Recreation Expo on Sunday, November 17.

Get notified directly of upcoming meetings, events, and comment opportunities by subscribing to the project email list at piedmont.ca.gov/LHMPNews.

Learn more about the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan update process and read the 2019 Plan at piedmont.ca.gov/LHMP. With questions, comments, or requests to get more involved, email [email protected].