Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 09-08-2009 regular — reading text

gullies, and rills that can become problematic over time. The following are the primary methods of mitigation that could reduce the impacts of land erosion impacts to Okaloosa County and its municipalities and are supported by the LMS, Steering Committee: Vegetative Control —Support efforts that protect natural plant systems, human plantings, special tilling methods and technologies, and other forms of vegetative erosion control. Structural Control —Support of mitigation efforts that allow public and private; sector entities to gain control of problem erosion locations, gullies and rills that reduce unnatural sedimentation accumulation and cutting into natural hillsides and land, and to control coastal erosion where seawalls are necessary. Construction and Infrastructure — Support mitigation efforts that would allow for construction and infrastructure development to eliminate an existing erosion problem or to eliminate creation of such a problem. Coastal Human -Induced Erosion — Lend support to mitigation efforts that help to eliminate or reduce coastal erosion due to boat/ship wake issues, while weighing the interests of the boating public. Sinkholes Sinkholes are generally not experienced in Okaloosa County. What is often called sinkholes are often sewer, storm drain, or water line failures underground that cause a human -created collapse. The following are the primary methods of mitigation that could reduce the impacts of land erosion impacts to Okaloosa County and its municipalities and are supported by the LMS Steering Committee: Sinkh4:)le Risk Assessment —The LMS Committee supports research of the possibilities of natural sinkhole occurrence where a reasonable and realistic risk to the public is discovered and said research is considered vital towards local knowledge and understanding of the geology of the area. Expansive Soils With only 1. 6% of the County's soils at risk of being expansive against foundations and roadways ( and with the majority of those soils being located in salt marshes which are already publicly owned), and with no records of such soils causing 2009 LMS Update for BCC Page 8 of 14 22_ problems for buildings in the County and its municipalities, there is little that can be done to further mitigate construction in these areas. The following are the primary methods of mitigation that could reduce the impacts of expansive soil impacts to Okaloosa County and its municipalities and are supported by the LMS Steering Committee: Expansive Soil Risk Assessment — The LMS Committee supports research of the possibilities of expansive soil situations outside of locations already owned by public entities ( such as the Northwest Florida Water Management District) where a reasonable and realistic risk to the public is discovered and said research is considered vital towards local knowledge and understanding of the soils of the area. Tornadoes and Waterspouts Because of the unpredictable nature of this weather feature, mitigation against tornadoes and waterspouts throughout Okaloosa County is difficult at best. Unlike locations of the United States where underground shelters might be recommended on a routine basis, the ability to achieve a reasonable benefit -cost ratio with such actions is throughout the County. questionable Additionally, it is unlikely that underground shelters would even be feasible in many locations due to, high water tables ( one of the reasons that few buildings in the County have basements). Fortunately, many of the same building codes and standards that are required for high wind protection in hurricanes lend considerable protection in most tornadoes and waterspouts. likely best type of mitigation would be warning and The communication systems, and protection within a building already meeting the Florida Building Code. The following are the primary methods of mitigation that could reduce the impacts of tornado and waterspout impacts to Okaloosa County and its municipalities and are supported by the LMS Steering Committee: Communications and Warning Systems — Ensure the public can be informed of pending conditions that would produce a tornado or waterspout, or otherwise warn the public that such an event was pending. Support mitigation activities that improve emergency management sponsored systems that coordinate such efforts with the County' s and Municipal Warning System through its 911 program. Public Education — Support mitigation activities that help, to educate the public about the dangers of tornadoes and waterspout's in the area and describe how to take protective actions in various situations. Such activities should be supported and coordinated with the County Emergency Management office. Severe Thunderstorms and Lightning 2009 LMS Update for BCC Page 9 of 14 23- This common natural hazard and threat deserves attention, especially in terms of lightning and the frisk it poses to structures and electrically sensitive equipment. There are many mitigation activities that can take place throughout any community that reduces the threat of electrical surges and discharges of lightning. Aside from the risk of equipment being struck, there is an ever -present risk of people being hit by lightning ( especially given the amount of outdoor recreation - -- such as golfing, boating, fishing, hunting, bicycling, swimming, or poolside - -- occurring throughout the County and muni&lpalities during warm weather months or during frontal passage when thunderstorms are most common). Damaging winds and hail are generally mitigated through building codes that are already in place due to the overall risk of hurricanes in the area. It is difficult to mitigate personal property and livestock against hail unless said property can be immediately placed indoors ( without risk of being struck by lightning while in the process of doing so). The following are the primary methods of mitigation that could reduce the impacts of severe thunderstorms and lightning to Okaloosa County and its municipalities and are supported by the LMS Steering Committee: Communications and Warning Systems — Ensure the public can be informed of pending conditions that would produce a severe thunderstorm, or otherwise warn the public that such an event was pending. Support mitigation activities that improve emergency management sponsored systems that coordinate such efforts with the County' s and Municipal Warning System through its 911 program. Public; Education — Support mitigation activities that help to educate the public about the dangers of severe thunderstorms and especially lightning in the area and describe how to take protective actions in various situations. Such activities should be supported and coordinated with the County Emergency Management office. Secure Electronic and Electrically- Sensitive Systems — Ensure that mitigation activities are supported that reduce the risk of loss of electronic equipment and structures due to lightning strike and electrical surge. Winter Storms Because of infrequency, it is difficult to mitigate the impacts of winter storms in Okaloosa County and its municipalities. There is little infrastructure in place to combat what may be the greatest winter risk... an ice storm with accompanying glaze. The most credible worst case scenario would be massive loss of the local and regional electric utility grid, the inability to keep buildings warm, and hardship in performing rescues on segments of the public most vulnerable to cold ( such as the elderly, very young, and those who are ill). Much of the recovery effort would rest in the hands of private sector electrical service providers. The County and its municipalities have no salt spreaders, and only road graders are available that might be used to scrape snow or ice ( and they have no chains or winter tires). The erratic occurrence of such events simply does not justify large or perhaps any public 2009 LMS Update for BCC Page 10 of 14 24- expenditure for equipment to remove winter precipitation, or extensive building codes to deal with such issues. of electrical generators are possible Back -up heating sources and availability mitigative measures for some critical facilities. Back -up heating will usually consist of portable kerosene heaters or fireplaces. Natural gas and propane heating systems are good, but if an electrical blower is part of an overall heating system, without a generator there will be no ability to heat such facilities. More realistically, the most common winter disaster in the area is a frozen pipe and sometimes subsequent flooding of the interior of a house or business. This can generally be mitigated by heating strips or by wrapping pipes with insulation, all commonly available products in local hardware and department stores. In a worst - case situation, a pipe may need to be relocated to a warmer part of a structure. Agricultural interests are probably the most prepared segment of the County's population and business community for cold weather. Sensitive crops and animals are often supplied with heat that mitigates the cold. Spraying of water and forming ice on some trees can insulate them from cold air damage. Animals can be brought into barns or in some cases have jackets placed on them. Most bear the cold well because the severity of cold in the area is simply incomparable to winter conditions hundreds of miles north of the County. Public education about the risk of winter storms may be the most appropriate type of mitigation activity that can be provided and supported by the LMS Committee. The following are the primary methods of mitigation that could reduce the impacts of winter storms to Okaloosa County and its municipalities and are supported by the LMS Steering Committee: