Molalla seeking public input for Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan

Updating existing plan for county multi-jurisdictional plan with added public input

The city of Molalla is asking its nearby and local residents for input into the addendum to Clackamas County's Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan update.

The city is updating its existing plan in cooperation with the University of Oregon's Institute for Policy Research and Engagement, the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience and the Oregon Military Department's office of Emergency Management. They are using funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program.

With the re-adoption of the plan, Molalla maintains its eligibility to apply for funding to pay for natural hazard mitigation projects. The local planning process includes a wide range of representatives from city and county government, emergency management personnel and outreach to the public in the form of an electronic survey.

The city has presented an electronic copy of the updated draft of the Molalla Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan on its website. It is available for public comment from Aug. 16 through Sept. 4. To view the draft, visit: https://www.cityofmolalla.com/ and expand the news section. It will explain the strategy, risk assessment, hazard characteristics along with two attachments; one on action items and the other on a summary of public involvement.

Comments may be submitted in person by or snail mail to 117 North Molalla Ave. 97038 or emailed to Dan Zinder, associate planner, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Mitigating disasters results in reducing loss of life and property by lessening a disaster's impact through risk analysis. That provides a foundation to use mitigating activities to reduce risk, according to the county's introduction to the program.These activities allows cities and towns benefits that will reduce various losses, including life, property, essential services, critical facilities and economic hardship. The hazard mitigation plan Molalla is working on provides the set of goals, action items and resources intended to reduce risk from future natural disasters.

It also will reduce long and short term recovery and reconstruction costs at the same time it increases cooperation and communication within the community through planned processes and potential for state and federal funding for recovery and reconstruction projects.

The county first developed a mitigation plan in 2002 and updated it in 2007. Its current plan update, covers mitigation for 13 cities including Canby and Molalla. Keeping up with the original Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 allows cities and towns to receive federal mitigation funds, while local and federal approval ensures the county and its listed cities remain eligible for pre- and post-disaster mitigation project grants.



Carol Rosen

Reporter

503-266-7507

email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

