Foreword In the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd, the state of North Carolina is demonstrating a major, unprecedented commitment to hazard mitigation. New groups and organizations in the public, private, voluntary and research sectors are becoming directly involved in projects and initiatives to reduce the vulnerability of North Carolina s communities to hurricanes and other natural hazards. The Governor and the North Carolina General Assembly, for their part, have committed hundreds of millions of dollars of state funds for housing assistance, economic recovery, and local government support. As communities rebuild, every effort is being made to ensure a balanced approach to redevelopment, one that promotes economic and social goals, while achieving the goals of hazard mitigation and the conservation of natural resources. To accelerate the institutionalization of hazard mitigation in North Carolina, the North Carolina Emergency Management Division has established the Hazard Mitigation Planning Initiative (HMPI), a long-term program to build local capacity to implement mitigation policies and programs in communities across the state. Currently, eleven communities fully participate in HMPI; the goal is to extend this program to all communities in the state at risk to natural hazards. While North Carolina continues to receive national recognition for HMPI and other mitigation efforts, the fundamental question becomes to what extent are these mitigation measures directly contributing to a measurable reduction in losses from natural disasters? Hazard Mitigation in North Carolina: Measuring Success addresses this issue. Through a series of case studies, this study documents losses avoided as a result of the implementation of a wide range of mitigation measures, including elevations in place, and the acquisition and relocation or demolition of flood-prone properties. In essence, the state of North Carolina can for the first time definitively point to the savings from mitigation. This study is an important milestone in the evolution of mitigation and sustainable development in North Carolina. It goes beyond the numbers and captures the dedication and resolve of community leaders to reduce their vulnerability to hurricanes, flooding, and other natural hazards. David E. Kelly, Secretary Department of Crime Control and Public Safety Eric Tolbert, Director Emergency Management Division i
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Table Of Contents Section Page Foreword... I List of Figures, Tables, and Acronyms... V Acknowledgements... VII Contributions... VIII INTRODUCTION 1 A State in Transition... 1 Hazard Mitigation: Measuring Success... 2 Endnotes for Introduction... 4 CHAPTER 1: CREATING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA 5 Fostering a Dialogue on Sustainable Communities... 5 Hazard Mitigation Planning Initiative (HMPI): Linking Mitigation and Sustainability... 7 Integrating Hazard Mitigation and Sustainable Communities: Measuring Success... 10 Sustainable Housing... 11 Sustainable Business... 13 Sustainable Infrastructure and Critical Facilities... 15 Sustainable Environment... 17 Endnotes for Chapter 1... 20 CHAPTER 2: SUSTAINABLE HOUSING 21 Vulnerability of Housing to Hurricane Floyd... 21 Case Study: Beaufort County Protecting Houses by Elevation... 23 Case Study: Kinston-Lenoir County Acquisition Project Sustainable Redevelopment... 26 North Carolina Permanent Housing Initiative... 31 Case Study: Boone s Acquisition and Relocation Initiative An Example of Pursuing Multiple Objectives... 33 Summary... 35 Endnotes for Chapter 2... 36 iii
CHAPTER 3: SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS 37 Economic Impact of Hurricane Floyd... 37 Implications of Hurricane Floyd for Business Risk Reduction Planning... 40 Case Study: Mecklenburg County Flood Audits for At-Risk Commercial Structures A Community-Based Approach to Business Risk Reduction... 43 Development of Floodproofing Concepts and Strategy... 46 Project Implementation Steps... 47 Case Study: Masonboro Marina: Retrofitting to Withstand the Worst Hurricane Event... 48 Case Study: Daniels & Daniels Dairy Farm Reducing Environmental Impacts Through Proactive Measures... 50 Summary... 51 Endnotes for Chapter 3... 52 CHAPTER 4: SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND CRITICAL FACILITIES 53 Case Study: Port of Wilmington Protecting a Vital Commercial Lifeline... 55 Case Study: Louisburg Wastewater Facility Electric Service Project... 58 Reducing the Vulnerability of Wastewater Systems: Two Projects that are Working... 60 Summary... 61 Endnotes for Chapter 4... 62 CHAPTER 5: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT 63 Case Study: Integrating Water Quality into Floodplain Management Charlotte-Mecklenburg County s Approach... 64 Planning for the New River Watershed A Regional Approach to Conservation of Natural Resources and Hazard Mitigation... 66 Endnotes for Chapter 5... 70 iv CHAPTER 6: MEASURING MITIGATION SUCCESS IMPLICATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES 71 Conduct a Comprehensive Hazards and Risk Assessment... 72 Assess Community Capabilities... 76 Establish Goals and a Vision of Sustainability... 77 Incorporate Risk Analysis into the Local Mitigation Plan... 78 Develop a Capacity to Implement Mitigation Strategies... 80 Evaluate Progress... 82 Summary... 84
LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Counties Affected by Hurricane Floyd... 2 Figure 1.1 Louisburg park (photo)... 7 Figure 1.2 Community Vulnerability... 10 Figure 1.3 Integrating Hazard Mitigation and Sustainable Development... 11 Figure 1.4 Flooded businesses in Kinston (photo)... 13 Figure 1.5 Elevated utilities in Masonboro Marina (photo)... 16 Figure 1.6 North Carolina Ports System...17 Figure 1.7 Greenways in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County (photo)... 18 Figure 1.8 Using GIS to map locations of hazardous materials... 19 Figure 2.1 Flooded houses (photo)... 22 Figure 2.2 Elevations-in-place (photos)...24 Figure 2.3 Before and after elevation (photos)... 25 Figure 2.4 Elevated Properties in Belhaven... 26 Figure 2.5 Property Acquisitions and Elevations in Washington... 26 Figure 2.6 Acquisition Properties in the City of Kinston... 27 Figure 2.7 Flooded house in Kinston (photos)... 27 Figure 2.8 Kinston Smart Growth Plan...29 Figure 2.9 Kinston demonstration house (photo)... 32 Figure 2.10 Elizabeth and Anne Marie Drive... 33 Figure 2.11 Boone housing acquisition and relocation (photos)... 34 Figure 3.1 Hurricane Floyd s Impact on Business... 38 Figure 3.2 Flooded hog farm (photo)...40 Figure 3.3 Flooded cement plant (photo)... 42 Figure 3.4 Mecklenburg County Commercial Floodproofing Audit... 44, 45 Figure 3.5 Damage to Masonboro Marina (photo)... 48 Figure 3.6 Mitigation measures at Masonboro Marina (photos)... 49 Figure 4.1 Flooded wastewater treatment plant in Kinston (photo)... 54 Figure 4.2 Port of Wilmington (photo)...54 Figure 4.3 Secured crane at Port of Wilmington (photo)... 57 Figure 4.4 Electrical lines in Lousburg (photo)... 58 Figure 4.5 Eastern North Carolina... 61 Figure 5.1 Flooded junk yard in Kinston...64 Figure 5.2 Old and new efforts to improve water quality in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County (photos)... 65 v
Figure 5.3 Protected Lands in Tarboro Area....69 Figure 6.1 Mitigation Planning for Sustainable Communities... 72 Figure 6.2 Comprehensive Hazards and Risk Analysis for North Carolina... 74 Figure 6.3 Flooded infrastructure in Kinston (photo)... 75 Figure 6.4 Orthophoto of Nags Head...83 LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1 HMGP Funding for Hurricane Fran... 8 Table 2.1 Housing Vulnerability Reduction in Beaufort County... 24 Table 2.2 Losses Avoided from Hurricane Floyd: Cities of Washington and Belhaven... 25 Table 2.3 Losses Avoided in Hurricane Floyd: City of Kinston... 28 Table 2.4 Losses Avoided in 50-Year Flood: Town of Boone... 35 Table 2.5 Return on Investment in Mitigation: Belhaven, Washington, and Kinston... 36 Table 3.1 North Carolina Wage and Salary Employment Growth... 39 Table 3.2 Masonboro Marina Potential Losses Avoided... 49 Table 4.1 Hurricane Losses at Port of Wilmington 1996-1999... 56 Table 4.2 Morehead City Electric Switch Box Relocation Project: Losses Avoided... 60 Table 6.1 Categories of Hazards Assessment... 73 Table 6.2 Sample Performance Based Objectives... 78 Table 6.3 Sample Indicators to Measure Progress in Reducing Risk... 79 LIST OF ACRONYMS BCA...Benefit Cost Analysis BFE...Base Flood Elevation CGIA...Center for Geographic Information and Analysis CBD...Central Business District CMSWS...Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services CWMTF...Clean Water Management Trust Fund CDBG...Community Development Block Grant DRI...Disaster Recovery Initiative EDA...U.S. Economic Development Administration FEMA...Federal Emergency Management Agency FMAP...Flood Mitigation Assistance Program FIRM...Flood Insurance Rate Map FIS...Flood Insurance Studies vi
GIS...Geographic Information Systems HAZUS...Hazards United States (a GIS-based loss estimation methodology) HMGP... Hazard Mitigation Grant Program HMPI...Hazard Mitigation Planning Initiative NCEMD...North Carolina Emergency Management Division NCPS... North Carolina Port System NCSPA... North Carolina State Port Authority NFIP... National Flood Insurance Program NOAA...National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NRCP...New River Community Partners NWS...National Weather Service SBA...Small Business Administration SWIM...Surface Water Improvement Management Panel USDA...U.S. Department of Agriculture ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report was prepared with input and contributions from many individuals who play important roles in developing and carrying out hazard mitigation activities in the state of North Carolina. Jay Bowers... City of Kinston Jeffrey Brown... North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis Jim Byrne... Town of Boone W. David Canaan... Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services Bob Clark... City of Kinston Cameron Daniels... Daniels and Daniels Dairy Farm Karen Fox... North Carolina Ports Authority C. L. Gobble... City of Louisburg Tim M. Johnson... City of Belhaven Cedric K. Jones... Franklin County Extension George (Ed) Lowe... Masonboro Boatyard and Marina William A. (Beau) Mills... Office of the Governor Sam Piersall... The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Chapter Darrin Punchard... North Carolina Emergency Management Division Bobby Roberson... City of Washington Debbie Reed... New Hanover County Department of Emergency Management vii
Mikki Sager... The Conservation Fund Katherine Skinner... The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Chapter Gavin Smith... North Carolina Emergency Management Division Joey Taylor... Lenoir County Resource Development Ken Taylor... North Carolina Emergency Management Division Bill Tingle... Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services Eric Tolbert... North Carolina Emergency Management Division Nat Von Nortwick... Town of Belhaven J. Reed Whitesell... Holland Consulting Planners, Inc. CONTRIBUTIONS The photographs and graphics in this publication were provided by many supporting individuals and agencies. The permission to use these materials is gratefully acknowledged. Sources are listed alphabetically. Jeffrey Brown, North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis Jim Byrne, Town of Boone City of Kinston Dewberry & Davis Federal Emergency Management Agency Karen Fox, North Carolina Ports Authority Holland Consulting Planners, Inc. George (Ed) Lowe, Masonboro Marina Michael Baker, Inc. North Carolina Emergency Management Division Debbie Reed, Project Impact, Wilmington-New Hanover County The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Chapter Bill Tingle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services Wooten Company John Wilson, Federal Emergency Management Agency Melanie Harrell, Federal Emergency Management Agency Todd Davison, Federal Emergency Management Agency Sharon Steen, Federal Emergency Management Agency Tom Durham, Durham Technologies, Inc. Scott Lawson, Durham Technologies, Inc. Jeanette Blankenship, Artware Marketing, Inc. viii