Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: MARCH 18, 2025
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: adam loeser, fire chief
PREPARED BY: andrew yang, administrative analyst ii
kristi hofstetter batiste, emergency preparedness coordinator SUBJECT: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program award
SUMMARY
The Fire Department requests City Council authorization to accept a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) award, execute grant documents and appropriate funds. This would enable the City to receive funding to develop an updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), enhancing community readiness against natural hazards.
PROPOSED MOTION
Accept and appropriate receipt and use of $198,068 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program award to the Fire Department budget within the Grant Fund (Fund 32).
Authorize City Manager, or designee, to serve as Authorized Agent and execute Cal OES Form 130 and any grant-related documents, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Do not approve the Proposed Motion
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager recommends acceptance of the Hazard Mitigation Grant.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability
Public Safety.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City of Fullerton received a $198,068 federal grant through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, including $190,500 for direct project costs to update the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and $7,568 for grant management expenses. Federal funds would cover $142,875 (75%) of project costs on a reimbursement basis and the City would pay a $47,625 (25%) cost sharing match. The City would meet the cost-share requirement through budgeted salary expenditures for personnel administering the project. The award for grant management expenses does not require local matching funds. This item does not generate additional impact or need General Fund budget appropriation.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is a federally funded initiative by FEMA help state and local governments implement long-term hazard mitigation measures. These measures enable communities to identify, assess and reduce risks associated with natural hazards such as earthquakes, wildfires, floods and extreme weather. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) serves as the pass-through entity, administering funds and ensuring local projects comply with federal and state requirements.
The City of Fullerton received $198,068 through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to develop an updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The City has no legal requirement to maintain an updated LHMP but it provides a key component of the City emergency preparedness framework, complementing the Emergency Operations Plan and the General Plan Safety Element. When the Safety Element incorporates the LHMP by reference, it potentially qualifies the City for increased cost sharing under the California Disaster Assistance Act. The federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires local governments to update plans every five years to remain eligible for certain non-emergency hazard mitigation funding, which the City has not historically utilized but may benefit from in the future. Fullerton’s current LHMP, approved by FEMA in June 2019 and adopted by City Council in May 2020, is overdue for an update due to city-wide staffing limitations in previous years. However, this does not affect City eligibility for other forms of federal funding, including disaster relief.
City staff can begin updating the City LHMP upon City Council approval. The project would enhance community preparedness, reduce exposure to natural hazards and strengthen local resilience to mitigate risks before they develop into severe emergencies. The process would include evaluating changes in local development and vulnerabilities, assessing the status of previously identified mitigation actions and refining City risk reduction strategies to reflect new federal standards and evolving community needs. The City would use FEMA funding to hire a consultant through a competitive, formal Request for Proposal bid process to assist the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator manage the project and guide technical aspects. A multi-departmental planning team including representatives from Community and Economic Development, Fire, Police, Parks and Recreation and Public Works would coordinate efforts across regional agencies, businesses, social service organizations and community groups to align the LHMP with broader hazard mitigation initiatives.
The LHMP update process would include data collection and robust community outreach and engagement, followed by a comprehensive hazard and mitigation strategy assessment. Staff would engage the community, a core element of the project, through workshops, surveys and draft plan reviews. Stakeholders and the public would review the draft LHMP before the city formally submitted to Cal OES and FEMA for approval. Staff would present the plan to City Council for adoption following final federal approval. Staff expects to complete the project ahead of the January 31, 2028 grant closeout date.
The updated LHMP would qualify Fullerton for FEMA hazard mitigation grant programs with potential increased cost sharing under the California Disaster Assistance Act and better position the City to protect public safety while reducing potential damage from natural hazards. The planning process would strengthen community partnerships and integrate risk reduction into broader City planning efforts. Staff would update City Council regularly as the project progresses.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Award Cal OES Notification Letter Attachment 2 – Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Award Cal OES Subaward cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Award
March 18, 2025 - Page 2