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2005-03 Local Mitigation Strategy PlanRESOLUTION NO. 05 -03 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE OKEECHOBEE COUNTY LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY PLAN; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City of Okeechobee, Florida is vulnerable to the human and economic costs of natural technological and societal disasters; and WHEREAS, the City of Okeechobee, Florida recognizes the importance of reducing or eliminating those vulnerabilities for the overall good and welfare of the community; and WHEREAS, the City of Okeechobee has been an active participant in the Okeechobee County Mitigation 20/20TM Task Force, which has established a comprehensive, coordinated planning process to eliminate or decrease these vulnerabilities; and WHEREAS, the City of Okeechobee's representatives and staff have identified, justified and prioritized a number of proposed projects and programs needed to mitigate the vulnerabilities of the City of Okeechobee to the impacts of future disasters; and WHEREAS, these proposed projects and programs have been incorporated into the initial edition of the Okeechobee County Local Mitigation Plan that has been prepared and issued for consideration and implementation by the communities of the City of Okeechobee; and NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved before the City Council for the City of Okeechobee, Florida; presented at a duly advertised public meeting; and passed by majority vote of the City Council; and properly executed by the Mayor ro designee, as Chief Presiding Officer for the City: 1. The Okeechobee City Council hereby accepts and approves of its designated portion of the Okeechobee County Local Mitigation Plan, 2. The agency personnel of City of Okeechobee are requested and instructed to pursue available funding opportunities for implementation of the proposals designated therein, 3. The City of Okeechobee will, upon receipt of such funding or other necessary resources, seek to implement the proposals contained in its section of the strategy, and 4. The City of Okeechobee will continue to participate in the updating and expansion of the Okeechobee County Local Mitigation Plan in the years ahead, and Page 1 of 2 okeechobee county Local mitigation strategv 2005 , .4 ., iti,, 1.1 ,ki . ..1 ir..4. ,!� x r °t a; 1 s J7 k ' A'' , ak" ' ;.-, ' .. r * i f40;ii.:, 171'y7iy K a.i� ,ry� i I ° n n ti ).„1,1\ `*14," hewed for. Okeechobee LMS Cee: ee TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Purpose 2 II. The Planning Process 3 III. Risk Assessment 4 IV. Mitigation Goals 6 V. Prioritization of Actions and Projects 6 VI. Mitigation Actions and Projects 6 VII. Plan Adoption 7 A. Public Meetings B. Governing Body Acceptance VIII. Incorporation into Other Plans 7 IX. Plan Maintenance and Continued Public Participation 8 X. Risk Assessments 8 XI. Natural Hazard Analysis 11 XII. Hurricane and Coastal Storms 14 XIII. Floods 17 XIV. Landslides/Sinkholes 19 XV. Wildfires 20 XVI. Severe Storms and Tornadoes 21 XVII. Drought/Heat Wave 23 XVIII. Winter Storms/Freezes 24 XIX. Hazard Analysis Summary 25 XX. Conclusions/Recommendations 26 Attachment A Current Actions and Projects List 27 Attachment B Local Resolutions 29 Attachment C Current LMS Workgroup Membership 32 Attachment D Plan Review Crosswalk 33 1 Purpose The Okeechobee County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and its underlying planning process are intended to serve many purposes. These include the following: • Provide a Methodical, Substantive Approach to Mitigation Planning The approach utilized by the Okeechobee County LMS Committee relies on the application of soundly-based planning concepts in a methodical process to identify vulnerabilities to future disasters and to propose the mitigation initiatives necessary to avoid or minimize those vulnerabilities. Each step in the process builds upon the previous step, so that there is a high level of assurance that the mitigation initiatives proposed by the participants have a valid basis for both their justification and priority for implementation. One key purpose of this plan is to document that process and to present its results to the community. • Enhance Public Awareness and Understanding The committee is interested in finding ways to make the community as a whole more aware of the natural, technological and societal hazards that threaten the public health and safety, the economic vitality of businesses, and the operational capability of important facilities and institutions. The plan identifies the hazards threatening Okeechobee County and provides an assessment of the relative level of risk they pose. The plan also includes a number of proposals of ways to avoid or minimize those vulnerabilities. This information will be very helpful to individuals that wish to understand how the community could become safer from the impacts of future disasters. • Create a Decision Tool for Management The Okeechobee County Local Mitigation Plan provides information needed by the managers and leaders of local government, business and industry, community associations and other key institutions and organizations to take actions to address vulnerabilities to future disasters. It also provides proposals for specific projects and programs that are needed to eliminate or minimize those vulnerabilities. • Promote Compliance with State and Federal Program Requirements There are a number of state and federal grant programs, policies, and regulations that encourage or even mandate local government to develop and maintain a comprehensive hazard mitigation plan. This plan is specifically intended to assist the participating local governments to comply with these requirements, and to enable them to more fully and quickly respond to state and federal funding opportunities for mitigation-related projects. This plan is developed with the intention of meeting the new FEMA requirements implemented to comply with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA2K). This plan qualifies Okeechobee County, Okeechobee City, and other eligible agencies for future pre-disaster mitigation funding. 2 • Assure Inter-Jurisdictional Coordination of Mitigation-Related Programming A key purpose of the planning process utilized by the Okeechobee County LMS Committee is to ensure that proposals for mitigation initiatives are reviewed and coordinated among the participating jurisdictions. In this way,there is a high level of confidence that mitigation initiatives proposed by one jurisdiction or participating organization, when implemented, will be compatible with the interests of adjacent jurisdictions and unlikely to duplicate or interfere with mitigation initiatives proposed by others. • Provide a Flexible Approach to the Planning Process The planning process used by the Okeechobee County LMS Committee is comprehensive in nature, utilizing information compiled from the community during public meetings, reviews of existing plans, studies, and reports, as well as the contributions from area business and industries. 11. The Planning Process Public involvement: During the initial stages of plan development, several public meetings were held throughout Okeechobee County. Surveys were distributed to the public through various methods, completed, and returned to the committee for evaluation. As a public meeting, Okeechobee LMS meetings are open to the general public, and announced to the public through local media releases. Additionally, all members of the committee are charged with maintaining and increasing community participation in committee activities through contact with community and business organizations. Community, agencies, businesses, and other private & non-profit interests: As a multi jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan, the planning effort has been conducted through the coordinated, cooperative effort of several local governments including Okeechobee County and the City of Okeechobee. Other key participants, organizations and agencies have been Florida Power and Light, Columbia Raulerson Hospital, The Okeechobee Chamber of Commerce, Berger Insurance, Florida Division of Forestry, and the Coquina and South Florida Water Management Districts. The Committee has also actively engaged the community at large in the mitigation planning process, undertaking several efforts to solicit the community's opinions and recommendations regarding mitigation needs and the topics covered in the plan. Use of existing plans,studies,and reports: The County's existing LMS document was reviewed and compared to the new FEMA requirements, as well as,the State's requirements for a mitigation section to be part of the County's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. Deficiencies were identified utilizing an established crosswalk, and corrective actions implemented to up-date the plan. Plan Development: This plan was compiled by DisasTech International, LLC (Consultants)under contract to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council and supervised by the Okeechobee County LMS Committee and Okeechobee County 3 Emergency Management. Development was accomplished utilizing the deliverables as established in an agreement between Okeechobee County and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. III. Risk Assessment Okeechobee County is vulnerable to a variety of natural and manmade hazards. While the hazards associated with coastal areas are not applicable, the county is subject to severe weather in several forms. The highest risk hazards throughout the planning area, in descending order based on the relative risk ratings, are considered to be: • Floods • Hurricanes and Coastal Storms • Severe Storms/Tornadoes • Wildfires • Drought/Heat Wave A further assessment for each of these hazards was conducted to determine: • Previous occurrences • The location and extent of damages • The probability of future events • Vulnerability and impact of future events • The possible impact to buildings, infrastructure, and critical facilities • Human and economic impacts • Potential dollar losses to structures • Land uses and development trends • Differences in jurisdictional risks Upon completion of these assessments,the analysis concluded that: Floods. Okeechobee County has a number of low or poorly drained areas which regularly experience flooding with or without a storm. Pre-storm rainfall can not be considered independently when projecting requirements for road closures. The cumulative annual rainfall, saturation of the ground, and status of the drainage network are perhaps more significant factors. The flood maps included in this plan provide more information on hose areas of Okeechobee County which experience repetitive flooding. Hurricanes and Coastal Storms. Florida is the most vulnerable state in the nation to the impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane season runs from June through November. In June and October, the regions of maximum hurricane activity are the Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean. In Okeechobee County, the primary effects from a hurricane are high winds and inland flooding. Tornadoes associated with tropical storms are most frequent in September and October when the incidence of tropical storms is greatest. Inland flooding can accompany any hurricane due to the low elevation of much of the county. The vulnerability of Okeechobee County to hurricanes varies with the progression of the hurricane season. 4 Severe Storms / Tornadoes. Severe weather disrupts daily lives more than any other form of weather. Each year thousands of dollars go to fixing or replacing televisions, computers, homes, and aircraft damaged by such storms. Crops are also subject to damage or destruction by hail associated with storms. Thunderstorms can also be deadly. Florida leads the nation in lightening related deaths, and is among the top ten states prone to devastation from tornadoes. Thunderstorms are also responsible for delivering most of the state's rain fall. Okeechobee County is among the top ten counties in Florida in number of lightening injuries and deaths. Tornadoes occur in connection with thunderstorms and frequently are accompanied or followed by lightening and sometimes heavy rain or hail. Tornadoes associated with tropical storms are most frequent in September and October when the potential for tropical storms is greatest. These tornadoes usually occur around the perimeter of the leading edge of the storm and sometimes result in the outbreak of several tornadoes. These tornadoes generally move in an easterly or northeasterly direction. All areas of the county are vulnerable to severe storms and tornadoes. The potential for damage and loss of life increases as a function of population density. As the number of structures and people increase, so does the probability of human casualties and property losses. This is compounded by the county's high number of mobile home residents. Mobile homes are extremely susceptible to wind damage due to the light construction materials, flat sides and roofs, and lack of permanent foundation, however remain an attractive housing prospect for many individuals due to their relative affordability. Wildfires. Forest lands and other wild lands in Okeechobee County are extremely susceptible to wildfires. Fire has been excluded from much of the wild land in the county causing heavy fuel loading in the wildland-urban interface. Many low lands and wetlands in Okeechobee County are comprised of organic soils, often called "muck". Fires in these areas during droughts cause substantial smoke hazards to the county's citizens. Wildfires in general are difficult and costly o extinguish, and thus require a large amount of resources. Maps illustrating historical wildfire events are included in the plan. Drought / Heat Wave. Drought occurs when there is a deficiency of precipitation, creating an imbalance between available water supplies and demand. The state has been impacted by drought on a repeated basis over the last few years. The severity of drought may be considered as a function of both the duration and the magnitude of the precipitation deficiency. In Okeechobee County, groundwater is a source of drinking water for about 90% of the population. The principal source of groundwater for Okeechobee County is the Floridian aquifer system. This aquifer system is extremely vulnerable to the effects of drought. During a drought the Floridian aquifer can fall to dangerously low levels through excessive drawdown. This also results in the inability of sandy soils to support agricultural production because of the low moisture holding capacities. Another source of water is Lake Okeechobee. This lake serves as a major water storage area for southeastern Florida, and has historically fallen to below 11 feet for 110 days. A severe drought in 2001 affected the county, and all of central Florida, resulting in water rationing in much of the area. Summer heat in Okeechobee County approaches 100 degrees from May until early September. These days require extensive use of air conditioning systems across the county which could result in potential power failures. Many senior citizens or others with 5 health problems are susceptible to loss of power conditions which could place them in dangerous situations. Homeless persons, or those is substandard housing, are also at risk. The combination of high temperatures and the sever weather incidents that are spawn from these conditions will put this population in danger. IV. Mitigation Goals The Okeechobee County LMS Committee has established a number of goals and objectives to guide its work in the development of this plan. The goals selected by the committee are related to the broad mitigation needs and capabilities of the communities involved, rather than addressing a specific hazard type or category. Therefore, the Okeechobee County mitigation goals and objectives, by definition, are "multi-hazard" in scope and can be described as statements of the desired "mitigation-related capabilities" that will be present in each participating jurisdiction in the future as the goals are achieved. The goals are as follows: • Educate home and business owners on mitigation measures • Encourage participation in the National Flood Insurance and Flood Mitigation Assistance Programs • Complete projects that benefit as many residents as possible • Insure that critical services and facilities are protected • Insure that projects produce long-term, cost effective benefits • Provide sufficient shelter space in public facilities by retrofitting those facilities V. Prioritization of Actions and Projects Each jurisdiction is encouraged to submit actions and projects to the committee for inclusion into the LMS. Each proposed project is approved and prioritized utilizing the following criteria: • Ability of the project to meet state and federal requirements • Priority established by the submitting jurisdiction/agency • Criticality of the project to the community health, safety, and/or welfare • Number of residents served or benefited • Age of structure and lifespan of benefit • Availability of applicant's matching funds • Costs versus benefits of the project Actions and projects rated as high must be considered by the committee as meeting all criteria. VI. Mitigation Actions and Projects At the heart of this plan are the actions and projects that were submitted, approved, and prioritized. They represent the plan of action to reduce future damages and disruptions to essential services. Attachment"B" is the current listing of projects proposed/planned by the various jurisdictions within Okeechobee County. 6 Planning Departments ensure all new building, infrastructure, and development is in accordance with the Growth Management Plans of the county and state. Building Departments ensure all building construction meets the minimum standards of the new State Building Code, and that all construction in the 100-year flood plain is elevated above the Base Flood Elevation established by FEMA. Also ensure that modifications and improper uses below the Base Flood Elevation do not occur. Emergency Management makes information on mitigation measures available to new and current home and business owners. VII. Plan Adoption Public Meetings—Several public meeting were held across the county throughout 2003 to allow for comments and input prior to the start of the revision process. Following the approval of this plan, but prior to final adoption, the public will be provided an opportunity to review and comment on its revisions. Governing Body Acceptance—Following review and comments from the public,the Okeechobee Board of County Commissioners and the governing body of Okeechobee City shall sign and adopt this LMS. Resolution templates have been provided in attachment"C"of this plan. VIII. Incorporation into Other Plans As part of the regular meetings of the Okeechobee LMS Committee, members will dedicate at least one meeting annually to enduring that the goals,priorities, actions, and projects established in this plan are incorporated into ongoing county and city planning activities. This plan will be incorporated into the following planning mechanisms as indicated below prior submission of the next update for approval by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and FEMA. Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan—This LMS will be incorporated into the CEMP by reference, and utilized as the plan's mitigation section. Comprehensive Land Use Plan—This LMS will be incorporated through the integration of the risk assessment section into the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Capital Improvement Plan—This LMS will be incorporated into the Capital Improvements Plan by scheduling select mitigation projects utilizing local funding. Flood Plain Management Plan—Portions of the risk assessment contained in this LMS will be incorporated into the Flood Plain Management Plan to address riverine and inland flooding issues. Community Rating System—To further reduce the cost of flood insurance under the NFIP,this LMS will be incorporated by reference. 7 IX. Plan Maintenance & Continued Public Participation This plan will be reviewed and updated in one or each of the following ways: • Annually • Within 90 days after a disaster • At any meeting of the LMS Committee,upon request of at least three members Continued public participation will be ensured by the constant efforts of each member of the LMS Committee to recruit comments and involve the public in the local mitigation strategies. X. Risk Assessment This section of the Okeechobee County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan summarizes the results of the hazard identification and vulnerability assessment processes undertaken by the committee members. The intent of this section is to provide a compilation of the information gathered and the judgments made about the hazards threatening Okeechobee County as a whole, and the potential vulnerability to those hazards. The technical planning process begins with hazard identification. In this process, the Planning Committee and representatives of individual jurisdictions identify all of the natural, technological and societal or man-made hazards that could threaten the community. When the hazard types are identified as relevant to, or of concern for, that jurisdiction, the participants can make an estimate of the risk each poses to the jurisdiction being evaluated. The estimate of risk is based on the judgment of the planners regarding the likely frequency of occurrence of the hazard event compared to its probable consequences. For purposes of this analysis, "risk" is defined as a relative measure of the probability that a hazard event will occur in comparison to the consequences or impacts of that event. That is, if a hazard event occurs frequently, and has very high consequences, then that hazard is considered to pose a very high risk to the affected communities. In comparison, if a hazard event is not expected to occur frequently, and even if it did, the consequences would be minimal,then that hazard is considered to pose a very low risk. This relationship between frequency of occurrence and consequences of an event can be illustrated by the following graph: Very Frequent Jest • �i ■ O Z e4'94 i re • oS a► V 34 56 High Risk w 0 e� LL O VeJ .4. Unexpected •••• .......... or Very Rare Low Risk •.. --- - - •---••--•--- Severe or 8 This graph illustrates that some hazards can be defined as "low risk," for they do not occur often enough and/or do not result in significant impacts even when they do. In comparison, other hazards may occur often enough and/or have sufficiently severe consequences when they do,that they must be considered"high risk." By considering the relative risk of the different hazards that threaten each participating jurisdiction, greater priority can be given to the "higher" risk hazards, in order to most effectively utilize the time and resources available for the mitigation planning process. In this way, the planning approach used for Okeechobee County supports what can be termed "risk-based planning" because it facilitates the participants' capabilities to focus on the highest risk hazards. Pursuant to the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, each jurisdiction is required to be evaluated for a prescribed list of natural hazards. These hazards are: • Earthquakes • Tsunamis • Coastal and Riverine Erosion • Landslides/Sinkholes • Hurricanes and Coastal Storms • Severe Storms/Tornadoes • Floods • Wildfires • Dam/Levee Failure • Volcanic Activity • Drought/Heat Wave • Winter Storms/Freezes. While several of these hazards are relevant to Okeechobee County and the participating jurisdictions, some are not due to the geographic location and characteristics of the planning area. If, during the planning process, a specific hazard is assessed, and the relative risk estimate for that hazard is determined to be zero (meaning the hazard actually poses no identifiable risk to the jurisdiction), then that hazard is not considered further in the planning process, in the subsequent assessments of vulnerability of the community to that hazard, or evaluation of the adequacy of the policies of the jurisdiction to manage the risks posed by that hazard. The following hazards were not ranked as significant to the area by those representatives making the planning decisions, for they have been designated as posing zero risk to the specific jurisdiction. • Earthquakes • Tsunamis • Coastal and Riverine Erosion • Dam/Levee Failure • Volcanic Activity 9 In deriving these estimates of risk for each hazard, the participating jurisdictions have utilized any available information regarding the geographic areas that may be impacted by each identified hazard, as well as population, infrastructure and facilities within those impacted areas. For many of the participating jurisdictions, this information has not been available in a geographic information system (GIS) database, but has been accessed from internet websites and existing GIS databases available from state and federal agencies. It must be emphasized that in some cases, detailed information regarding the areas potentially impacted by a specific hazard, as well as its potential health and safety, property, environmental and economic impacts of that hazard, may not have been available. Therefore, it has often been necessary to rely on the informed judgment of knowledgeable local officials to identify hazards and derive estimates of the risk each poses to the community. Committee members believe that their experience with their own communities, as well as their capabilities to derive reasonable estimates of the geographic area at risk and the potential impacts of the hazard, is adequate for the purposes of this planning effort. While assessment of past disasters can also be very informative regarding the types, locations, or scope of mitigation initiatives that would be needed to prevent similar damages from future events of the same type, no records have been kept of past disaster events. Therefore the committee intends to assess as many past disaster events as feasible with the resources available for the planning process. This section provides the updated analyses for those hazards that have affected, or are likely to affect the Okeechobee County mitigation planning area. These hazards include: • Floods • Hurricanes and Coastal Storms • Severe Storms/Tornadoes • Wildfires • Drought/Heat Wave • Winter Storms/Freezes The following sections describe the relative risk posed by various hazard categories to the jurisdictions evaluated. Current land use and future development maps are included, and are referred to in each detailed hazard assessment section. A summary matrix for each hazard, followed by conclusions and recommendations is included at the end of this section. Xl. Natural Hazard Analysis The following natural hazards have been identified by FEMA Region IV, for analysis and possible inclusion in the Okeechobee Local Mitigation Strategy. Earthquakes—The U.S. Geological Survey,National Seismic Mapping Project (website), locates Okeechobee County in the 1%g(peak acceleration) area. Because of this very low rating the Florida Division of Emergency Management does not require local Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans to address earthquakes as a hazard that is likely to affect our residents and visitors. Therefore, an earthquake assessment will be excluded. 10 Tsunamis—According to FEMA 386-2 CD, Florida has a relatively low tsunami risk and The Florida Division of Emergency Management does not require local plans to address tsunamis as a hazard. An assessment will be excluded. Coastal and Riverine Erosion—Okeechobee County is an inland county and therefore not directly subject to coastal erosion hazards. Besides Taylor Creek,the only other body of moving water is the Kissimmee River which flows south from Lake Kissimmee to Lake Okeechobee, forming the county's western boundary. Erosion is not a hazard, and an assessment will be excluded. Landslides/Sinkholes—According to the USGSA website, Okeechobee County has less than 1.5% susceptibility for a landslide incident. However, sinkholes are a common, naturally occurring geologic phenomenon and one of the predominant landforms in Florida. Many of the lakes in Florida were formed by sinkholes. Sinkholes are depressions or holes in the land surface that occur throughout west central Florida. They can be shallow or deep, small or large,but all are a result of the underlying limestone dissolving. Hydrologic conditions including lack of rainfall, lowered water levels, or conversely, excessive rainfall in a short period of time, can all contribute to sinkhole development. Sinkholes can be classified as geologic hazards, sometimes causing extensive damage to structures and roads,resulting costly repairs. Sinkholes can also threaten water supplies by draining unfiltered water from streams, lakes and wetlands, directly into the aquifer. Hurricanes and Coastal Storms—A hurricane is a severe tropical storm that forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea,or the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricanes develop in warm, tropical waters, where moisture is plentiful, and winds are light. A hurricane can produce violent winds, incredible waves,torrential rains and floods. Other coastal storms produce similar,yet lesser effects. Hurricanes are categorized by the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale: Category Wind Speed ( Storm Surge Damage 1 74—95 mph ( 4—5 feet Minor 2 96— 110 mph ( 6—8 feet Moderate 3 111 — 130 mph I 9— 12 feet Major 4 131 — 155 mph ( 13 — 18 feet Extensive 5 156 mph> ( 18 feet > Catastrophic Sever Storm/Tornadoes—Tornadoes are one of nature's most violent storms. A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. Tornadoes come in all shapes and sizes, and can occur anywhere in the United States,at any time of the year. In southern states,peak tornado season is March through May. 11 Tornadoes are categorized by the Fujita scale: Category Damage Wind Speed FO Minor <72 mph Fl Moderate 73 — 112 mph F2 Significant 113-157 mph F3 Sever 158—206 mph F4 Devastating 207—260 mph F5 Incredible 261 >mph Floods—Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disaster, except fire. A flood, as defined by the National Flood Insurance Program website is a"general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of tow or more properties from": • Overflow of inland or tidal waters, • Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from land source,or • A mudflow. Floods can be slow or fast rising, but generally develop over a period of days. Wildfires—the National Interagency Fire Center website rates Florida in the low fire damage class. However, as a mostly rural county, much of Okeechobee County remains in the high to moderate probability category for wildfires. Wildfires can erupt at any time of the year from a variety of causes, including arson, lightning, and debris burning. Florida's wildfire season normally runs from December to June, with the larges/greatest number of acres burned peaking in May. In April and May, Florida usually has a dry spell. This is because the frontal passages from the north and west are no longer moving through the state and the summer thunderstorm activity has not yet started. Dam/Levee Failure—There are no dams in or near Okeechobee County that can fail and create a severe flood hazard. However, Lake Okeechobee does utilize earthen levees around its border, but only a small portion of the county's population border the lake. With the deepest part of the lake at only 9 feet, combined with the mitigation measures already in place by the Water Management Districts resulted in a very low rating of this hazard. An assessment is excluded. Drought/Heart Wave—A drought is a period of abnormally dry weather which persists long enough to produce serious hydrologic imbalance such as crop damage, water shortage, etc. The severity of the drought depends on the degree of moisture deficiency, the duration and the size of the affected area. 12 There are 4 ways to define drought: Meteorological—means a measure of the departure of precipitation from normal. Due to climatic differences,what is considered a drought in one location may not be a drought in another location. Agricultural—refers to a situation when the amount of moisture in the soil no longer meets the needs of a particular crop. Hydrological—occurs when surface and subsurface water supplies are below normal. Socioeconomic—refers to what occurs when physical water shortage begins to affect people. Winter Storms/Freezes—According to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DOACS), a moderate freeze may be expected every 1-2 years. Severe freezes may be expected on an average of once every 15 to 20 years. Temperatures in the 20s can last for as long as 6—8 hours from December—March causing hard freezes. Freezes pose a major hazard to the agriculture industry in Okeechobee County on a recurring basis, and are a significant threat to the economic vitality of the State's vital agriculture industry. 13 r s, OKEECHOBEE COUNTY CONCEPTUAL FUTURE LAND USE 2005 * O e a t O L A COUNTY err Noe ' e n.I M a n A N 1 ""r'� ° ' Or_ „4 trimi Ws,_::__:::_:.;::1 Ilk\1 , . i . 'Mk "4111 . ; .rr:• __=_ _ _= == __ ____ - =_=_=_ e- _ - °° -!i \„e _ t P ` ` COUNTY ie -_ 1-_ 'x -• , - _- -- - -: _ ] = av• • -x : .kt r am i .4(' i ► . i e iii,\ � � a 1 t , l - - ` •` i i �, t F. tyF ,, °_ tii a y.• ,,,.,,`ve' l .......- ., ..tall* • -, 111110h. V '41 41/10„,„ _0- -..., irallama.. -\ --rklir,, All .l.k 0: I' 4,t ' `∎L, 0, w•0 LEGEND • �� � .... , .. .,.. _, Commercial Corridor Yhad Use o+ %'�� ,ii„,, �• Vilk/ \ ' ' - 4 Mal RWdengd Mined We ........ '� t-,,,. .� 011 industrial Vare ' °ems: Rural Activity Center A L I , .�. ;! øi' �a O � �f .A t;. � "' II Commercial ActlNty linter ` it r- ...1:� ^ .77.7'filrir/6 Pawn Watt Site RURAL ACTIVITY CENTERS o � SaMger 'o I° Rm /`T- Public/Sarni-RNk FacWbss ® Pay%Ovao/taaews Creek \ / - '+� ° LAKE OKEECHOBEE ,' Fear Sawa o © � FYI a (Education Focatles) • Lazy Sewn o ,i 0 OWN Ronde Aare C. et. 0 R AIM `Recreation ® Cam try SNb/OMarhaea OoN A .a. *sag ` Okeed,abee Litt%Pane ` Haepitd + Fort Onus Weer NW Conservation r-- 1 Spot in the Sin/Stamen Loop This Conceptual Future Land thee map Is a graphic representation of the Okeechobee County Comprehensive RESORT ACTIVITY CENTER Wan Future Land Use dement,and is not intended to be Interpreted without the God.objectives,and ...tin.Prairie Slat.Preserve*r...__.. Rude.R.V.Resat policies contained within the element. COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY CENTERS II 1 Z .] 4 R C.R.,o-e t�N NIES i © S ROUT ROAD ............ T SR.70/no Map 2.1 (KPSP) weiewel Win-1%er RI NW wenn,Fr:U1,301.0110 *The Kissimmee Prairie State Preserve is in the Agriculture Future Lana Use . rincsitirntinn anti is Aeoirtett on this man or illustration ourooses only . XII Hurricanes and Coastal Storms Location and Extent—Simply being in Florida makes Okeechobee County vulnerable to the affects of hurricanes and tropical storms. However,the geographical location protects residents from storm surges associated with hurricanes, but not the severe winds. Previous Occurrences—In 2004 Okeechobee County was directly impacted by two hurricanes, while indirectly affected by two others. Hurricane Charley made landfall on August 13th, Frances on September 4th, Ivan on September 16th, and hurricane Jeanne on September 26th. Total damages in Okeechobee County are still being determined. The population of Okeechobee County at the time was around 37,481 residents. Prior to the 2004 season, only hurricanes David in 1979 and Irene in 1999 along with Tropical Storms Jerry in 1995 and Mitch in 1998 have impacted the county within the last 10 years. Probability of Future Events—According to NOAA's website, Central Florida has a 50%probability of being struck by a named storm. Recent history indicates that residents can expect a storm to affect Okeechobee County every 2-3 years, and the most likely event will be a Category 3 or lesser storm. Vulnerability and Impact—Okeechobee County is very vulnerable to the effects of a hurricane. Over 7,842 or 50.6%of residence are in low laying areas and mobile home parks while over 63%of all county residents live in mobile home trailers that are subject to evacuation for a Category 1 hurricane and over 15,504 residencies, or 35,910 residents for a Category 3 or greater storm. Existing Buildings,Infrastructure and Critical Facilities—Over 17,510 homes and businesses would receive moderate to minor damage from a Category 3 hurricane. There are also 139 critical facilities located within the Category 3 storm impact area. Future Buildings,Infrastructure and Critical Facilities—There are dozens of lots for sale throughout Okeechobee County and building will continue until build-out occurs. With growth comes the need for a larger infrastructure resulting in critical facilities being located in vulnerable areas. Human and Economic Impact—Following the direct impact of a hurricane many residents will be unable to return to their homes. Many mobile/manufactured homes will be destroyed and repairs to other homes that are uninhabitable may take weeks/months to complete. Some may choose to never return to their homes as was the case following Hurricane Andrew. The economic impact will vary greatly. Many small businesses will close forever while others will prosper. Home repair, carpet and appliance businesses will experience short-term increases in business. Other businesses, particularly those associated with tourism or real estate sales, will suffer. Potential Dollar Losses to Structures—The risk assessment data for wind-related damage in Okeechobee County are based on data developed for the MEMPHIS, which was developed by the FDEM. Wind-related damage in either a 100-year or 50 year event 15 could cause light damage to structures in Okeechobee County. A 25-year event could lightly damage one-third of the structures in Okeechobee County,and a 10-year event should cause no damage. The table below illustrates the value of damaged structures and population in certain storm return periods. Damage 100-Year Event 50-Year Event I 25-Year Event 110-Year Event Number of Structures 16,985 17,406 16,953 3,465 -Light Damage Number of Structures 524 0 0 I 0 -Moderate Damage Number of Structures 0 112 565 14,053 -No Damage Value of structures $1,122,054,400 $1,134,276,096 $1,083,977,728 I $166,177,216 -Light Damage Value of Structures $16,767,305 0 0 0 -Moderate Damage Value of Structures $910,694 $5,455,974 $55,754,196 $973,554,304 -No Damage Population in Light 34,645 35,910 35,260 I 4,164 Damage Population in Moderate 1,265 0 0 0 Damage Population in No 0 0 650 31,746 Damage Furthermore, according to this assessment, a Category 5 storm has the potential to destroy or damage all structures in Okeechobee County. A Category 3 storm would place the majority of structures in the moderate damage category. And a Category 1 storm would cause minor or no damage to structures in Okeechobee County. Table below displays the wind-related exposure in Okeechobee County for hurricane-strength storms. Damage Category 5 I Category 4 I Category 3 I Category 2 I Category 1 Number 362 0 0 0 0 Destroyed Number Heavy 13,960 132 0 0 0 Damage Number Moderate 2,937 16,809 9,371 0 0 Damage Number Light 259 577 8,147 17,518 16,865 Damage Number No 0 0 0 0 653 Damage Value $44,091,604 0 0 0 0 Destroyed Value Heavy $828,303,232 $4,506,179 0 0 0 Damage Value Moderate $243,949,408 $1,077,746,304 $467,604,672 0 0 Damage Value Light $23,388,752 $57,478,680 $672,127,488 $1,139,732,480 $1,069,972,736 Damage Value No 0 0 0 0 $69,759,832 Damage 16 I Land Uses and Development Trends—Most future development will occur throughout the county, but predominantly within Okeechobee City along Lake Okeechobee. Because of the vulnerability to hurricane force winds, future construction is subject to the State's stringent building codes, and county zoning requirements regarding flood zones. Jurisdictional Risk Assessment Area of the County I Surge Wind Unincorporated Areas I Low—Moderate High Okeechobee City I Moderate High ( 17 Historical Hurricane Tracks for OKEECHOBEE County \ ti&111041 iii \ \ .1%N............. Ilk Ply IIIS" 11 It ‘111111110011 1411110 Legend 4P ' ...- - r --''. ••,.,N I.0,. `- . final Paint 1a►; t G4 knots I ) ...... -mom -- F /V) ieo knots ....":„/ ' AP" N interstate F -- US tli$hrei • Secondary Meade It I ard . WPM lir. ' / __] ), Alt i' . A .-e' / .,.. , Jr+ \ d, \ j . ,:.4 Powered by the TAOS Output System and MAP SERVER , b 2 4 E ,, x -lurricane tracks reported by the National Weather Service, 1851-2002. Histonca F-.m;ane Tracks;er OKEECF,O @EE County Category 1 Hurricane Assessment for OKEECHOBEE County Legend * analysis Point N Interstate US Highmusy Secondary Spada 38 - 49mph 5e - /5 mph hie 75 - e mph MI 85 - 95 mph X96 - 115r h 115 - 138 ,mph IN 190 - 159 Kph •> 188 mph Powered by the TAOS Output System and MAPSERVER o 4 4 Ca:egory 1 Ht.-ricaie Assessr-en:for C*:EECHCBEE Cot ity .\ Legend * Analysis Point N interstate o ./.. Us Mighrsq Secondary Roads 1 ~ 1 - aFc 1M 4 - 9 ft IN 7 - aft .19 - 19 ft 19 - 15 rt 16 - 18 ft 111119 - P1 ft if —'_ �> 21 ft r h A Powered by the TAOS Output System and MAPSERVER l . 2 4 r„ Oren 154:4 crnr+4 n+61 mn.Yas:. I\..) Gregory I HI ricale Asses sr en:for C•:EECHCBEE Cot.ity 0 Okeechobee County Category 1 Hurricane Data Impact Summary Peak winds 81.mph,peak water depth 4.7ft. Category 1 Maxima Damage Summary: Tax Parcel based Wind Damage: $ 69.49 Million DOR based Flood Damage: $ 841.62 Thousand DOR Structures in Flood Zone: 34 Census based Wind Damage: $ 76.31 Million Census based Flood .Damage: $ 513.61 Thousand Uninhabitable Housing Units: 95 0.6%of total HU. Table 2.1: Countywide Population at risk for Category 1 Maxima Total TS Wind Hur Wind Ext Wind Flooded Total 35910 35910 2961 0 99 Minority 7602 7602 222 0 0 Over 65 5923 5923 927 0 26 Disabled 14803 14803 1546 0 48 Poverty 5391 5391 352 0 40 Lang Iso 733 733 0 0 0 Sing Pnt 1997 1997 159 0 0 Table 2.2: Countywide Structures at risk for Category 1 Maxima Total TS Wind Hur Wind Ext Wind Flooded SF Res 6351 6351 1304 0 13 Mob Home 6495 6495 1641 0 14 MF Res 558 558 188 0 3 CnmmPrnial 947 947 71(1 n n 21 Agriculture 2738 2738 281 0 4 Gov/Instit 434 434 48 0 0 Table 2.3: Countywide Loss by DOR Use for Category 1 Maxima Exposure Loss Percent Loss SF Res $ 1.42 Billion $ 14.89 Million 1.0% Mob Home $ 481.42 Million $ 29.68 Million 6.2% MF Res $ 60.69 Million $ 727.49 Thousand 1.2% Commercial $425.20 Million $ 4.42 Million 1.0% Agriculture $ 374.38 Million $ 3.94 Million 1.1% Gov/Instit $ 1.99 Billion $ 15.84 Million 0.8% 22 Okeechobee City Category 1 Hurricane Data Impact Summary Peak winds 76.mph, peak water depth 0.0ft. Category 1 Maxima Damage Summary: Tax Parcel based Wind Damage: $ 8.54 Million DOR based Flood Damage: $ 0.00 dollars DOR Structures in Flood Zone: 0 Census based Wind Damage: $ 5.32 Million Census based Flood .Damage: $ 0.00 dollars Uninhabitable Housing Units: 2 0.1%of total HU. Population at risk for Category 1 Maxima Total TS Wind Hur Wind Ext Wind Flooded Total 5284 5284 371 0 0 Minority 1167 1167 86 0 0 Over 65 975 975 50 0 0 Disabled 2187 2187 104 0 0 Poverty 926 926 7 0 0 Lang Iso 103 103 0 0 0 Sing Pnt 388 388 31 0 0 Structures at risk for Category 1 Maxima Total TS Wind Hur Wind Ext Wind Flooded SF Res 1655 1655 268 0 0 Mob Home 412 412 24 0 0 MF Res 103 103 10 0 0 Cnmmereial 117 17 49 (1 n 23 Agriculture 115 115 23 0 0 Gov/Instit 126 126 15 0 0 Loss by DOR Use for Category 1 Maxima Exposure Loss Percent Loss SF Res $ 341.50 Million $ 3.53 Million 1.0% Mob Home $ 25.60 Million $ 1.29 Million 5.0% MF Res $ 12.19 Million $ 117.89 Thousand 1.0% Commercial $ 170.01 Million $ 1.60 Million 0.9% Agriculture $ 139.40 Million $ 1.38 Million 1.0% Gov/Instit $ 65.01 Million $ 628.91 Thousand 1.0% 24 Category 2 Hurricane Assessment for OKEECHOBEE County Legend * nlalyela Poiat N Interstate '1 US IIiINay Secondary risdR 9e - 49 mph r iSe - 755* 75 -55 np/■ Ni IS - 95 5P6 ili 95 - 115 ap% 115 - sae pi .Y 19e - Ise vie > roe npi) N. Powered by the TAOS Output System and MAPSERVER o 2 4 6 mi Category 2 Hurricane Assessment fcr OKEECHOBEE County N Lo) EMBARGOED UNTIL: 10:00 A.M. EDT,APRIL 14, 2005(THURSDAY) Table 1:Po on Estimates for the 100 Fastest-Growing U.S Counties by Percentage Growth from July 1,2003 to July 1,2004 Population estimates I Change,2003 to 2004 Rank I Geographic area July 1,2004 I July 1,2003 I Number I Percent 1 Flagler County FL 69,005 62,696 6,309 10.1 2 Kendall County IL 72,548 67,018 5,530 8.3 3 Loudoun County VA 239,156 221,150 18,006 8.1 4 Hanson County SD 3,786 3,508 278 7.9 5 Lincoln County SD 31,437 29,247 2,190 7.5 6 Lampasas County TX 20,718 19,306 1,412 7.3 7 Lyon County NV 43,230 40,309 2,921 7.2 8 Camden County NC 8,437 7,867 570 7.2 9 St.Johns County FL 152,473 142,949 9,524 6.7 10 Dallas County IA 49,591 46,519 3,072 6.6 11 Osceola County FL 219,544 205,993 13,551 6.6 12 Newton County GA 81,524 76,534 4,990 6.5 13 Rockwall County TX 58,260 54,724 3,536 6.5 14 Henry County GA 159,506 150,165 9,341 6.2 15 Forsyth County GA 131,865 124,213 7,652 6.2 16 Douglas County CO 237,963 224,419 13,544 6.0 17 Currituck County NC 22,067 20,813 1,254 6.0 18 St.Lucie County FL 226,816 214,031 12,785 6.1 19 Paulding County GA 105,936 100,037 5,899 5.• 20 Storey County NV 3,737 3,532 205 5.; 21 Golden Valley County MT 1,117 1,057 60 5.7 22 Lake County FL 260,788 246,844 13,944 5.6 23 Matanuska-Susitna Borough AK 72,278 68,414 3,864 5.6 24 Barrow County GA 56,418 53,420 2,998 5.6 25 Franklin County WA 59,472 56,339 3,133 5.6 26 Saguache County CO 7,029 6,668 361 5.4 27 Scott County MN 114,794 108,910 5,884 5.4 28 Fort Bend County TX 442,620 419,995 22,625 5.4 29 Union County NC 153,652 145,980 7,672 5.3 30 Nye County NV 37,714 35,832 1,882 5.3 31 Bryan County GA 27,535 26,165 1,370 5.2 32 Union County FL 14,673 13,943 730 5.2 33 Douglas County GA 107,217 101,905 5,312 5.2 34 Washington County UT 109,924 104,498 5,426 5.2 35 Delaware County OH 142,503 135,474 7,029 5.2 36 Montgomery County TX 362,382 344,651 17,731 5.1 37 Collin County TX 627,938 597,307 30,631 5.1 38 Pasco County FL 407,799 388,224 19,575 5.0 39 Riverside County CA 1,871,950 1,782,822 89,128 5.0 40 Mineral County CO 932 888 44 5.0 41 Hamilton County IN 231,760 220,864 10,896 4.9 42 DeSoto County MS 130,587 124,483 6,104 4.9 43 Roberts County TX 863 823 40 4.9 44 Will County IL 613,849 585,482 28,367 4.8 45 Hoke County NC 39,262 37,452 1,810 4.8 46 Pinal County AZ 214,359 204,529 9,830 4.8 47 Clark County NV 1,650,671 1,575,386 75,285 4.8 48 Hemando County FL 150,370 143,514 6,856 4.8 49 Clay County FL 164,394 156,995 7,399 4.7 50 St.Francois County MO 60,724 58,003 2,721 4.7 51 Manassas Park city VA 11,519 11,005 514 4.7 52 Sublette County WY 6,654 6,358 296 4.7 53 Jackson County GA 49,540 47,337 2,203 4.7 54 Cherokee County GA 174,680 166,947 7,733 4.6 55 Southeast Fairbanks Census Area AK 5,997 5,733 264 4.6 56 Berkeley County WV 89,362 85,439 3,923 4.6 57 Gomel County TX 91,806 87,777 4,029 4.6 58 Williamson County TX 317,938 304,024 13,914 4.6 59 Placer County CA 307,004 293,630 13,374 4.6 60 Santa Rosa County FL 138,276 132,266 6,010 4.5 61 Walton County FL 48,477 46,388 2,089 4.5 62 Mohave County AZ 179,981 172,248 7,733 4.5 63 King George County VA 19,355 18,526 829 4.5 64 Sherburne County MN 78,762 75,399 3,363 4.5 65 Lee County FL 514,295 492,489 21,806 4.4 66 Christian County MO 64,273 61,564 2,709 4.4 67 Pike County GA 15,750 15,088 662 4.4 68 Effingham County GA 44,661 42,786 1,875 4.4 69 Benton County AR 179,756 172,263 7,493 4.3 70 Boone County KY 101,354 97,161 4,193 4.3 71 Suffolk city VA 76,586 73,423 3,163 4.3 72 New Kent County VA 15,552 14,917 635 4.3 73 Hinsdale County CO 810 777 33 4.2 74 Wakulla County FL 27,179 26,072 1,107 4.2 75 James City County VA 55,502 53,244 2,258 4.2 76 St.Croix County WI 74,339 71,330 3,009 4.2 77 Stafford County VA 114,781 110,236 4,545 4.1 78 Boone County IL 48,490 46,590 1,900 4.1 79 Sanders County MT 10,945 10,520 425 4.$ 80 Kootenai County ID 122,350 117,614 4,736 4.0 81 Culpeper County VA 40,192 38,640 1,552 4.0 82 Gwinnett County GA 700,794 673,774 27,020 4.0 83 Fayette County TN 33,624 32,330 1,294 4.0 84 Canyon County ID 158,038 151,998 6,040 4.0 85 Wright County MN 106,889 102,820 4,069 4.0 86 Madera County CA 138,951 133,696 5,255 3.• 87 Prince William County VA 336,586 323,867 12,719 3.9 88 Denton County TX 530,597 510,616 19,981 3.9 89 Wilson County TX 36,726 35,343 1,383 3.9 90 Kaufman County TX 85,377 82,175 3,202 3.9 91 Spotsylvania County VA 111,850 107,682 4,168 3.9 92 Hendricks County IN 123,476 118,880 4,596 3.9 93 Okeechobee County FL 38,988 37,537 1,451 3.• 94 Rutherford County TN 210,025 202,225 7,800 3.9 95 Carver County MN 82,122 79,106 3,016 3.8 96 Deschutes County OR 134,479 129,542 4,937 3.8 97 Warren County OH 189,276 182,330 6,946 3.8 98 Williamson County TN 146,935 141,551 5,384 3.8 99 Burnet County TX 40,286 38,818 1,468 3.8 100 Shelby County AL 165,677 159,641 6,036 3.8 INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED this 3r day of May, 2005. ,ATTEST: 5. The City of Okeechobee will further seek to encourage the businesses, industries and community groups operating within and /or for the benefit of the City of Okeechobee to also participate in the updating and expansion of the Okeechobee County Local Mitigation Plan in the years ahead. EFFECTIVE DATE. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption. Gki Lane`Garniotea, MC City Clerk REVIEWED FOR LEGAL SUFFICIENCY: ai John R. Cook City Attorney Page 2 of 2 James E. Kirk Mayor