Again, the City grew through the 1980s and 1990s with residential construction and the population reached 55,608 (City of Merced 2015). It was not until the recession in 1990 that slowed the growth of the preceding decade. Around the same time, the City completed growth studies and directed growth to occur primarily north of northeast around Lake Yosemite. In 1995, the Lake Yosemite area was selected as the site for the present day UC-Merced campus and approximately 10 years later the campus opened in 2005. The City grew again after the second economic recession and by 2010 annexed another 3,800 acres of new residential, commercial, and industrial land, opened another hospital, and grew to a population of approximately 80,865.
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 4 The City of Merced had steady economic growth in the following decade following the 2008 Recession, but in the initial years the City’s downtown suffered as it lost retail and real estate value. This was a result of both the recession and the closure of the Castle Air Force Base in 1995 (Collins 2020). The City recovered with continuing development and primarily from the expansion of the UC-Merced campus – the fastest growing public research university in the Country. The expansion of the university and the redevelopment in the City was largely accomplished through a public-private redevelopment effort to double the UC-Merced campus by 2020 (known as Merced 2020).
The expansion of the UC-Merced campus resulted in a positive impact on the City, and this is visible with the development of a Downtown Center across from the City Hall that has moved hundreds of jobs into the City. The City has also focused on revitalization of the downtown through key redevelopment projects at historic downtown landmarks: the Tioga Apartments, the Manzier Theatre, and the EL Capitan Hotel (Klein 2018). According to the City, the building industry did not slow down during the ongoing (2020- 2021) pandemic but continued to complete development projects through 2020 and into 2021. There were 1,974,217 square feet of construction added in 2020, and 600,000 square feet more than 2019 (City of Merced 2021). The total number of building permits was 3,727, and in 2020, the City processed the most single-family dwelling permits (723) and multi-family building permits (20) completed in the last decade. There were also 389 multi-family units added last year (City of Merced 2021). This growth has resulted in jobs, additional income, and new housing and businesses in the City.
1.1.4 Economy
The City of Merced’s vision is to increase employment opportunities for its citizens, promote a diverse and balanced economy, preserve the City’s economic base, support high-quality industrial areas and research and development parks, and provide access to commercial services to create a distinguished downtown.
Merced’s growth and increase in industry and retail businesses has added substantial retail and office space, new industrial buildings, new business parks, the UC-Merced campus, and a new hospital. The economic recession impacted the City and around this time, unemployment rates rose and many businesses and industries left the City, and house prices at the end of 2009 fell to 1998 levels. While the economy has traditionally relied on agribusiness and the presence of Castle Air Force Base, over the past twenty years, the economy has diversified with the presence of UC-Merced and new educational and hospital jobs, printing services, warehousing, and packaging industries.
Estimates of select economic characteristics for the City of Merced are shown in Table 1-1.
Table 1-1 City of Merced Economic Characteristics, 2015-2019 Characteristic City of Merced
Families below Poverty Level (%) 18.5%
All People below Poverty Level (%) 29.3%
Median Family Income $45,232
Median Household Income $45,232
Per Capita Income $20,488
Population in Labor Force 59.6%
Population Employed* 90.1%
Unemployment** 9.7%
Source: CA Department of Finance U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, www.census.gov/
*Excludes armed forces. **Does not reflect unemployment numbers due to COVID-19 Pandemic 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 5 The most common industries within a five-mile radius of Merced are agribusiness, followed by educational services and health care. Other industries include printing, distribution, boat manufacturing, food processing, and packaging materials. Merced is the home of two major grocery distribution centers (i.e., SaveMart and McLane Pacific), Malibu Boats, Safeway food processing, and various printing companies. The City is also home to various non-manufacturing employers, including the County of Merced, Merced City School District, AT&T Call Center, Merced Union High School District, Merced College, UC-Merced, City of Merced, and numerous large retailers, such as Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, Lowes, Target, Sears, and JC Penney. The tables below show the labor force breakdown by occupations and industry based on estimates from the 2015-2019 five-year American Community Survey.
Table 1-2 City of Merced Employment by Industry, 2015-2019 Occupation # Employed % Employed
Educational services, and health care and social assistance 8,161 23% Retail trade 4,103 12%
Manufacturing 2,972 8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 4,028 11.3% Construction 2,145 6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services
5,171 15%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 1,558 4%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing 1,070 3% Public administration 2,318 7%
Other services, except public administration 839 2%
Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services
2,029 6%
Wholesale trade 775 2%
Information 355 1%
Total 35,524 100%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, www.census.gov/ *Excludes armed forces
Table 1-3 City of Merced Employment by Occupation, 2015-2019 Occupation # Employed % Employed
Management, business, science, and arts occupations 7,904 22% Service occupations 7,690 22%
Sales and office occupations 8,698 25%
Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations 6,070 17% Production, transportation, and material moving occupations 5,162 14% Total 35,524 100%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, www.census.gov/ *Excludes armed forces
1.1.5 Population
In May 2020, the State Department of Finance released preliminary population data for the state demographic report, the estimates did not include potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the report the City of Merced has a population of 90,071 persons as of January 1, 2021, and gained 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 6 2,710 residents from the previous year, leaving the population slightly higher. Select demographic and social characteristics for the City of Merced from the 2015-2019 American Community Survey and the California Department of Finance, are shown in Table 1-4.
Table 1-4 City of Merced Demographic an d Social Characteristics, 2015-2019 Characteristic City of Atwater
Gender/Age
Male 49.5%
Female 50.5%
Median age (years) 30.1
Under 5 years 6.9%
Under 18 years 27.9%
65 years and over 9.1%
Race/Ethnicity
White 23%
Asian 14.4%
Black or African American 5.0%
American Indian/Alaska Native 1.4%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 57.8%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.0%
Some other race 0.0%
Two or more races 2.6%
Education*
% High school graduate or higher 73.6%
% with Bachelor’s Degree or Higher 14.6%
Social Vulnerability
% with Disability 13.8%
% Language other than English spoken at
home 53.0%
% Speak English less than "Very Well" 17.5%
% of households with a computer with
internet use 93.2%
% of households with no vehicle available 6.9%
Source: CA Department of Finance U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, www.census.gov/
* Population 25 years and over
The following table with information from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2015-2019) is related to housing occupancy in the City of Merced.
Table 1-5 City of Merced Housing Occupancy and Units, 2015-2019 Housing Characteristic Estimate Percentage
Housing Occupancy
Total Housing Units 26,025 100%
Units Occupied 25,005 96.1%
Vacant 1,020 3.9%
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 7 Housing Characteristic Estimate Percentage
Housing Units
1-unit detached 17,384 66.8%
1-unit attached 694 2.7%
2 units 807 3.1%
3 or 4 units 2,617 10.1%
5-9 units 1,876 7.2%
10-19 units 578 2.2%
20 or more units 1,448 5.6%
Mobile Home 621 2.4%
Boat, RV, van etc. 0 0%
Housing Tenure
Owner Occupied 11,192 44.8%
Renter Occupied 13,813 55.2%
Source: CA Department of Finance U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2015-2019 5-Year Estimates, www.census.gov/
1.1.6 Development Trends
Merced has long been recognized for its small-town feeling, surrounded by agricultural and open space land, parks and historic structures, tree-lined streets, and the creek side bikeways. In order to maintain a sustainable community, it must find a way to attract a variety of industries, local and region serving commercial development, and provide housing opportunities that will appeal to all demographic categories ranging from university students and faculty to retirees and young families. In order to achieve these objectives, the General Plan focuses on a number of basic themes that are reflected in goals and policies. Parts of the City of Merced have grown since the Merced Vision 2030 General Plan, which relied on various assumptions and anticipated future conditions within Merced’s growth area, also known as the City’s Specific Urban Development Plan (SUDP)/Sphere of Influence (SOI). The previous growth considerations focused on the expansion of the vicinity around Lake Yosemite along with a future University community, limiting growth in the unincorporated areas surrounding the City, and setting aside commercial areas to support future employment.
Following the adoption of the Merced Vision 2030 General Plan in 2012, a population projection was prepared by the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG). MCAG projections cover the entire 20-year General Plan period. The projections for Merced, among other cities in Merced County were augmented by growth rates used in the Environmental Impact Report for the UC Merced 2020 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) to account for the anticipated population increase generated by UC Merced, located at Lake Yosemite north of Merced. Based on MCAG’s projections, the City of Merced was expected to grow to 103,000 by 2030. In comparison, the General Plan took into account the new UC- Merced campus and revised MCAG growth projections, which subsequently reduced the population projections for 2030 but added the projections for the City, UC-Merced campus, University Community, and the County to account for additional land that may be useful throughout the life of the plan and to accommodate up to 40 years of potential development. Under this scenario, the City of Merced was expected to grow to 137,400 by 2030 and 152,100 by 2035.
Table 1.6 below summarizes the population projections for the City of Merced, UC-Merced campus and University Community, and combination of the City and the UC-Merced development. It is important to note these projections are based on population forecasts completed in 2010 and may now be an 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 8 underestimate of potential growth projections for the City of Merced and UC-Merced/University community.
Table 1-6 City of Merced Population Projections, 2010-2035 Year City of Merced UC Merced/ University
Community
Merced + UC
Merced/Univ.
Community
County of Merced Percentage of County
(Merced & UC)
2010 81,500 1,900 83,400 260,000 32.1%
2015 91,500 4,700 96,200 287,000 33.5%
2020 107,600 9,400 117,000 331,000 35.3%
2025 121,800 15,600 137,400 372,000 36.9%
2030 137,400 22,500 159,900 417,500 38.3%
2035 152,100 31,300 183,400 465,500 39.4%
Sources: City of Merced 2012; MCAG 2010
The General Plan plans for new jobs in commercial retail, commercial services, light industrial, manufacturing, public services, and other employment uses. It also plans for growth through buildout estimates or the expansion of the urban limit line (i.e., SUDP/SOI). According to the City’s Draft EIR for the Merced Vision 2030 General Plan, approximately 33,463 acres of land will be available in the SUDP/SOI for proposed land uses. This includes 2,414 acres for agriculture, 9,947 acres for single-family residential, 1,027 acres for multi-family residential, 1,052 acres for office uses, 4,099 acres for industrial uses, 747 acres for business park use, 1,965 acres for commercial, 1,107 acres for open space, 1,740 acres for schools, and 1,014 acres for other lands. Build out estimates and designated land uses are not official growth projections and do not represent City policy and actual population, square footage, or number of dwelling units could be lower or higher than these estimates based on a number of factors. Build out may vary overall or within individual land use designations due to:
Ɣ The need to preserve the agricultural base, grazing lands, and other types of open space; Ɣ Infrastructure availability, including the provision of transportation facilities, public services, and facilities;
Ɣ The need to limit development due to flood risk, fire risk, geologic and soils constraints, presence of habitat and biological resources, and presence of other important natural resources; and Ɣ Other factors, as described in the General Plan, community plans, specific plans, and City codes and ordinances.
The major goals of the previous general plan update were to expand the SUDP/SOI to accommodate growth and the rural residential centers east of the City and the UC-Merced campus, preserve prime agricultural land around the City, continue the predominantly north-south growth pattern, plan for the area around UC-Merced, and locate higher densities along the transit corridors.
There are numerous recent development projects that have been approved or that are in progress in the City according to the City of Merced Tentative Subdivision Activity List (May 2021), including several road and infrastructure capital improvement projects, such as the R Street Crossings at Fahrens Creek, Mission Avenue Interchange, Parsons Avenue Reconstruction, Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades, and the Fahrens Creek Bridge upgrade. The most recent tentative development projects approved include various subdivision activity projects within the City that range from 2 to 520-acre tentative subdivision projects for residential developments (e.g., Crossing at River Oaks, Moraga, Mission Ranch, Stoneridge South, etc.).
These projects are proposed mostly along the north and south end of the City, with the two larger projects, the Crossing and River Oaks and Moraga located to the east of the City (City of Merced 2018).
The projects that were approved and some of those that are now under construction since the 2015 LHMP include 20 to 44 acre subdivisions consisting of 100 to 240 lot developments. The most recent projects 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 9 underway as of 2020 are located along the north end of the City (i.e., Palisades, Mansionette Commercial Development) and the south end of the City (i.e., Mission Ranch Phase 2). The City is also considering one 70-acre annexation project, which involves an off-campus student housing and retail project associated with UC-Merced campus.
Any increases in development and population increases exposure to hazards including severe weather- related hazards and pandemics/epidemics, as well as earthquakes. Increases in growth also puts more demands on water resources and can increase vulnerability to drought.
The areas located in the Sphere of Influence (SOI) shown in Figure 1-1 are areas each City plans to grow into and potentially slated for future development. Understanding the potential hazard exposure in these area can help to mitigate the impacts of events before development occurs in those areas. During this plan update process parcel analysis was conducted using the SOI and overlaid with available hazard risk layers to determine where future development may be at risk of natural hazard events. The results of the analysis have been integrated into the applicable hazard sections: dam, flood and wildfire. Table 1-6 is the summary of the SOI total exposure for the City of Merced.
Table 1-6 Sphere of Influence Total Exposure Summary
Property Type Improved
Parcel Count
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content
Value
Total Value
Agricultural 190 256 $20,956,556 $20,956,556 $41,913,112 Commercial 64 97 $16,870,315 $16,870,315 $33,740,630
Exempt 36 50 $18,162,288 $18,162,288 $36,324,576
Industrial 32 62 $22,790,175 $34,185,263 $56,975,438
Mixed Use 10 11 $280,289 $140,145 $420,434
Residential 2,180 2,403 $475,376,520 $237,688,260 $713,064,780 Vacant 16 17 $66,594 $66,594 $133,188
Total 2,528 2,896 $554,502,737 $328,069,420 $882,572,157 Source: Wood Analysis 2021
2 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND SUMMARY
The City of Merced Planning Team identified the hazards that affect the City and summarized their frequency of occurrence, spatial extent, potential magnitude, and significance specific to their community (see Table 2-1). There are no hazards that are unique to Merced. The overall hazard significance takes into account the geographic area, probability and magnitude as a way to identify priority hazards for mitigation purposes. This is discussed further in the Vulnerability Assessment Section.
Table 2-1 City of Merced —Hazard Profiles
Hazard Geographic Area
Probability of
Future
Occurrence
Magnitude/
Severity
Overall
Significance
Dam Incidents Extensive
Occasional Catastrophic High
Earthquake Extensive Occasional Critical Medium
Flood and Levee Failure Significant Likely Critical High 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 10 Severe Weather: Extreme
Temperatures/Extreme Heat
Extensive Highly Likely Critical Medium
Wildfire Limited Highly Likely Negligible Medium
Geographic Area
Limited: Less than 10% of planning area
Significant: 10-50% of planning area
Extensive: 50-100% of planning area
Probability of Future Occurrences
Highly Likely: Near 100% chance of occurrence in
next year or happens every year.
Likely: Between 10 and 100% chance of
occurrence in next year or has a recurrence
interval of 10 years or less.
Occasional: Between 1 and 10% chance of
occurrence in the next year or has a recurrence
interval of 11 to 100 years.
Unlikely: Less than 1% chance of occurrence in
next 100 years or has a recurrence interval of
greater than every 100 years.
Magnitude/Severity (Extent)
Catastrophic—More than 50 percent of property severely
damaged; shutdown of facilities for more than 30 days;
and/or multiple deaths
Critical—25-50 percent of property severely damaged;
shutdown of facilities for at least two weeks; and/or
injuries and/or illnesses result in permanent disability Limited—10-25 percent of property severely damaged;
shutdown of facilities for more than a week; and/or
injuries/illnesses treatable do not result in permanent disability
Negligible—Less than 10 perc ent of property severely
damaged, shutdown of facilities and services for less than 24 hours; and/or injuries/illnesses treatable with first aid
Significance
Low: minimal potential impact
Medium: moderate potential impact
High: widespread potential impact
2.1 Vulnerability Assessment
The intent of this section is to assess Merced’s vulnerability that is separate from that of the planning area as a whole, which has already been assessed in Section 4 Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment in the Base Plan. This vulnerability assessment analyzes the population, property, and other assets at risk to hazards ranked of medium or high significance that may vary from other parts of the planning area.
The information to support the hazard identification and risk assessment was based on a combination of the previous LHMP for the City and County and jurisdiction-specific information collected during the 2021 update. A LHMP Update Guide and associated worksheets was distributed to each participating municipality or special district to complete during update process in 2021. Information collected was analyzed and summarized in order to identify and rank all the hazards that could impact anywhere within the County, as well as to rank the hazards and identify the related vulnerabilities unique to each jurisdiction.
Each participating jurisdiction was in support of the main hazard summary identified in the Base Plan (see Table 4-2). However, the hazard summary rankings for each jurisdictional annex may vary due to specific hazard risk and vulnerabilities unique to that jurisdiction. The information in this annex helps differentiate the jurisdiction’s risk and vulnerabilities from that of the overall County.
Note: The hazard “Significance” reflects overall ranking for each hazard and is based on the City of Merced’s Planning Team member input from the Data Collection Guide and the risk assessment developed during the planning process (see Section 4 of the Base Plan), which included a more detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis with best available data.
The hazard summaries in Table 2-1 above reflect the hazards that could potentially affect City. The discussion of vulnerability for each of the following hazards is located in Section 2.3 Estimating Potential Losses. Based on this analysis, the priority hazards (Medium and High Significance) for the City of Merced are identified below.
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 11 Ɣ Dam Incidents
Ɣ Earthquake
Ɣ Flood and Levee Failure
Ɣ Severe Weather: Extreme Temperatures/Extreme, Heat
Ɣ Wildfire
Severe weather (extreme temperatures/extreme heat) is not addressed in this vulnerability assessment as the exposure is similar to the overall County exposure, and the potential for losses are difficult to quantify specific to the City of Merced.
Other Hazards
Hazards assigned a significance rating of Low and which do not differ significantly from the County ranking (e.g., Low vs. High) are not addressed further in this plan and are not assessed individually for specific vulnerabilities in this section. In the City of Merced, those hazards include: drought, hazardous material incidents, severe weather (dense fog, heavy rain, high wind/tornado), subsidence, cyber attacks, agricultural pests and disease, and pandemics. A brief discussion on hazardous material incidents is profiled because this human-caused hazard was addressed in the City’s previous LHMP.
Additionally, the City’s committee members decided to rate landslides as Not Applicable (N/A) to the planning area due to a lack of exposure, vulnerability, and no probability of occurrence.
2.2 Assets at Risk
This section considers Merced’s assets at risk, including values at risk, critical facilities and infrastructure, historic assets, economic assets and growth and development trends.
2.2.1 Values at Risk
The following data on property exposure is derived from the Merced County 2020 Parcel and Assessor data. This data should only be used as a guideline to overall values in the City as the information has some limitations. The most significant limitation is created by Proposition 13. Instead of adjusting property values annually, the values are not adjusted or assessed at fair market value until a property transfer occurs. As a result, overall value information is likely low and does not reflect current market value of properties. It is also important to note that in the event of a disaster, it is generally the value of the infrastructure or improvements to the land that is of concern or at risk. Generally, the land itself is not a loss and is not included in the values below. Table 2-2 shows the exposure of properties (e.g., the values at risk) broken down by property type for the City of Merced.
Table 2-2 City of Merced Property Exposure by Type
Property Type Parcel
Count Improved Value Content Value
Estimate Total Value
Agricultural 23 $1,112,724 $1,112,724 $2,225,448
Commercial 911 $1,045,871,699 $1,045,871,699 $2,091,743,398 Exempt 632 $48,779,381 $48,779,381 $97,558,762
Industrial 120 $167,440,322 $251,160,483 $418,600,805
Mixed Use 16 $259,279 $259,279 $518,558
Residential 20,611 $3,488,757,480 $1,744,378,740 $5,233,136,220 Vacant Land 49 $1,410,697 $1,410,697 $2,821,394
Total 22,362 $4,753,631,582 $3,092,973,003 $7,846,604,585 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 12 Source: Merced County Assessor, Wood analysis
2.2.2 Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
For the purposes of this plan, a critical facility is defined as one that is essential in providing utility or direction either during the response to an emergency or during the recovery operation. FEMA sorts critical facilities into seven lifeline categories as shown in Figure 4-1 in the Base Plan. The 2021 plan update process also involved the development of a web-based mapping application by the County in collaboration with Wood. This project webpage served multiple purposes: a planning process backgrounder for the HMPT and public with public survey links; a GIS map based –interactive storyboard (i.e., Experience Builder Application) to communicate the highlights of the risk assessment. The GIS application included interactive hazard maps; a web-based method for collecting, validating, updating and maintaining critical facilities for the plan; and a platform to make the Plan a “living document” moving forward. The City of Merced helped validate the critical facility GIS data collected to ensure accuracy and to align the data with the seven FEMA Lifelines framework classifications. More information on the web- based mapping application is detailed in Section 3.4.1 of the Base Plan.
Table 2-3 shows a summary of the critical facilities analysis for the City of Merced grouped by FEMA lifeline category. critical facilities and other community assets as important to protect in the event of a disaster. Within the City of Merced the following are considered key critical facilities and community assets:
Ɣ City of Merced Records – City Hall/Emergency Operations Center (678 W. 18 th Street)
Ɣ Merced Fire Stations (Stations #51, #53, #54, #55, #81, #85) Ɣ Merced Police Department – Central Station (611 West 22nd Street) Ɣ Merced Police Department – South Station (470 West 11th Street) Ɣ City of Merced Public Works Yard (1776 Grogan Avenue Ɣ Merced Wastewater Treatment Facility (1961 Gove Road) Ɣ McKee Water Tower (3362 McKee Road)
Ɣ Merced Medical Center Repeater
Ɣ Mercy Medical Center (3333 Mercy Avenue)
Ɣ St. Joseph’s Medical Center (3377 G Street)
Ɣ Valley Children’s Medical Center (1190 Olivewood Drive) Ɣ Hylond Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center (3170 M Street) Ɣ NICU Children’s Hospital (333 Mercy Avenue)
Ɣ Amie Marchini Senior Care (1450 E. 27th Street)
Ɣ Senior Community Center (755 W. 15th Street)
Ɣ Merced Coroner Facility (455 E 13th Street)
Ɣ Merced College (3600 M Street)
Ɣ Merced Regional Airport (324 W. 24th Street)
Ɣ Merced-Yosemite Regional Airport (20 MacReady Drive) Ɣ Communications Tower
Ɣ Covalescent Facility (3170 M Street)
Ɣ Hobie House – Community Shelter
Ɣ Applegate Zoon (1045 W. 25th Street)
Ɣ Water supply lines and wells
Ɣ Pumping stations, and trunk lines
Ɣ Major electrical transmission lines and substations
Ɣ Major communication lines and microwave transmission facilities 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 13 Ɣ Federal Prison and major railways
Critical infrastructure also include major roadways which may serve as principal evacuation routes. There are also several additional designated shelters in Merced for use in an emergency event including the Salvation Army Merced Corps Community Center, Merced United Way, Valley Crisis Center, recreation centers/parks, high school gyms and school cafeterias.
2.2.3 Historic, Cultural and Natural Resources
The following historical resources are located in the City of Merced Ɣ Bank of Italy, Merced – National Register (listed 10/12/2004) Ɣ Buhach Grammar School – National Register (listed 4/7/1983) Ɣ Cook Maj. George Beecher House – National Register (listed 9/15/1983) Ɣ Kaehler Rector House – National Register (listed 1/4/1982) Ɣ Leggett House – National Register (listed 10/25/1979) Ɣ Leggett Thomas H. House – National Register (listed 7/8/1982) Ɣ Merced County Courthouse – National Register (listed 10/29/1975) Ɣ Merced County High School – National Register (listed 5/31/1984) Ɣ Merced Theatre – National Register (listed 5/1/2009) Ɣ Tioga Hotel – National Register (listed 10/3/1980)
Ɣ U.S. Post Office – National Register (listed 2/10/1983) Natural resources are important to include in benefit-cost analyses for future projects and may be used to leverage additional funding for projects that also contribute to community goals for protecting sensitive natural resources. Awareness of natural assets can lead to opportunities for meeting multiple objectives.
For instance, protecting wetlands areas protects sensitive habitat as well as attenuates and stores floodwaters.
The City of Merced manages a well-developed network of parks and recreation facilities. From the incorporation of the City until the 1960’s, the City’s park system grew at a moderate rate. During the 1970’s the City’s park system expanded and there were 47 acres of developed park land as compared to 133 acres in 1980 (City of Merced 2004). During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, park development slowed but the City acquired additional park lands in the late 1990’s. By 2004, there were 310 acres of developed park land in the City and today the City owns approximately 330 acres of park and open space facilities (City of Merced 2016). These natural and recreational resources are summarized in the City’s 2004 Park and Open Space Master Plan.
The City also contains several important habitats, which could support sensitive plant and animal species.
Several creeks, including Fahrens, Cottonwood, Black Rascal, Bear, and Miles along with the Hartley Slough, provide habitat for native plants and animals (City of Merced 2016). These natural drainage courses have been preserved and protected in the City to create large tracts of open space and many of the City parks are oriented around regional surface water drainage features. The northern portions of the City contain seasonal wetlands and vernal pools in scattered locations, which provide potential habitat for several species of wildlife which are listed as threatened and endangered. The Merced Irrigation District (MID) irrigation canal system has also become an important open space feature in the area as has Lake Yosemite. The Merced National Wildlife Refuge is located outside the city limits to the southwest, and the extensive agricultural fields that surround the City also provide habitat for many wildlife species (City of Merced 2016).
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 14
2.3 Estimating Potential Losses
2.3.1 Dam Incidents
Protection from flood hazards created by dam failures is critical to the safety and well- being of Merced residents. Dam incidents can result from various natural or human caused events, such as earthquakes, erosion, improper siting, improper maintenance, rapidly rising flood waters and structural or design flaws.
The ability to provide warning for potential victims of flooding from dam failure is influenced by the type of dam constructed, the frequency of inspections for structural integrity, the flood wave arrival time, the ability to notify persons downstream and their ability to evacuate. Aside from loss of life, damage to property and displacement of people, hydroelectric facilities on dams that fail would suffer damage. This could have an impact on life support systems in communities outside the immediate hazard areas. A failure of one of the dams operated by the Merced Irrigation District (MID) that generate electricity could affect supply to the CAADC site, within which the Castle Medical Center is located. Should more of the City choose MID as its electricity supplier and distributor, those customers would likewise be affected.
A dam vulnerability assessment was completed during the 2021 update, following the methodology described in Section 4 of the Base Plan. Dam inundation areas from Yosemite dam with the City of Merced are shown in Figure 2-2 and Table 2-3 summarizes the values at risk within the inundation area. The Yosemite dam is rated as high significance. Yosemite dam is also rated as Extremely High by the California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams. Extremely High rated dams are expected to cause considerable loss of human life or result in an inundation area with a population of 1,000 or more.
Areas of future development, located within the City’s Sphere of Influence are most vulnerable to dam inundation events. One critical facility, categorized as a Transportation Lifeline, is located within a dam inundation area.
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update | 2021–2026 Page 15
Figure 2-2 City of Merced Po tential Dam Inundation Areas
2021 Merced County Hazard Mitigation Plan
Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 16 Table 2-3 Yosemite Dam Inundation
Property Type Improved Parcel County Building Count Population Agricultural 5 5 0
Commercial 24 30 0
Exempt 110 134 0
Industrial 22 38 0
Mixed Use 1 1 3
Residential 4,603 5,839 18,781
Vacant Land 3 3 0
Total 4,768 6,080 18,784
Source: California DSOS, National Inventory of Dams, Merced County Assessor’s Office Future Development
The results of the SOI and dam analysis are shown in and Table 2-4.
Table 2-4 Sphere of Influence Areas Ex posed to Yosemite Dam Inundation Property
Type
Improved
Parcel Count
Building
Count Population
Agricultural 14 16 0
Commercial 7 8 0
Exempt 2 4 0
Industrial 4 8 0
Residential 100 110 365
Vacant 1 1 0
Total 128 147 365
Source: CAL FIRE, Merced County Assessor, Wood GIS analysis
2.3.2 Earthquake
The City of Merced and surrounding areas historical earthquake activity is below California’s state average.
No known faults are located in the Merced area. The nearest known fault is the Kings Canyon Lineament, approximately 5 miles south of Atwater, however geological evidence would show this fault is not active.
There is no record of any seismic activity originating within the City; however, the County of Merced has been shaken by earthquakes originating elsewhere. There is documented evidence of six earthquakes that shook the area, those of 1872, 1906, 1952, 1966, 1984, and 1989. Major damage occurred in Los Banos to the southwest associated with the 1906 event, with minor damage recorded throughout the County from other occurrences.
No damaging earthquakes greater than M 6.0 have been recorded in the City of Merced or Merced County in over 200 years, though several have been very close. The most recent large earthquake near Merced County, and the City of Merced, was 16 miles east north-east of King City at a magnitude of 5.3 on October 20, 2012. Several aftershocks followed the main earthquake, including a M3.1 aftershock. This earthquake was preceded by two earthquakes located approximately 100 miles from Merced County, the 1982 New Idria earthquake (M5.4) and the 1983 Coalinga quake (M6.5). There was low level ground shaking and low local magnitude reported. The City of Merced Planning Team also report a M3.4 earthquake on March 31, 2016 with an epicenter 21 miles southwest of Los Banos. No damage was noted 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 17 associated with this recent earthquake event, but the team agreed there is a likelihood of a similar earthquake occurring again in the future.
Based on the earthquake shaking potential mapped for Merced County and the City of Merced, due to the proximity to the San Andreas Fault, and the history of shaking with no surface rupture, means the probability of damaging seismic ground shaking in the City of Merced is considered as occasional. Other hazards associated with earthquake activity, such as lateral spreading, surface cracking or differential setting, are considered unlikely to occur, although no studies have been conducted to determine the likelihood of these hazards.
2.3.3 Extreme Heat
Extreme heat is identified as a priority hazard; this hazard was also identified as a priority for the City of Merced in their previous plan. The City of Merced collaboratively works with all agencies throughout the County to address extreme heat by following the State of California Contingency Plan for Excessive Heat Emergencies and the Merced Operational Area Excessive Heat Guideline. The City also opens cooling zones and centers to provide shelter for vulnerable populations in the City and to help mitigate the hazard and continues to open additional facilities.
2.3.4 Flood and Levee Failure
The primary types of flood events in Merced County that may impact the City of Merced are riverine and urban. Flooding could also occur as a result of levee failure. Regardless of the type of flood, the cause is often the result of severe weather and excessive rainfall, either in the flood area, upstream, or from winter snowmelt.
The floodplain of the Merced River is well defined from the eastern county boundary to approximately 10 miles above the mouth of the river. Downstream of this point, the floodplain is undifferentiated from the valley floor and major floods can spread out over large areas. During the 1950 flood event, approximately 19,600 acres of land along the Merced River were inundated, including the towns of Snelling and Merced Falls. A large portion of Merced County continues to be subject to inundation during flood events, as approximately 380,010 acres, including a large portion of the City of Merced, have been determined to be in the FEMA floodplain. The physical risks associated with potential flooding and the regulatory requirements for floodplain management are important considerations when decisions are being made regarding future land use throughout the City of Merced given the City is traversed by four creeks from east to west, including Bear Creek, Fahrens Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Black Rascal Creek. The flood hazards for three of these four creeks are further summarized below based on information from the City’s previous LHMP.
Bear Creek
Historically, flood flows in excess of the Bear Creek channel capacity spill over the left bank of Bear Creek approximately 6 miles east of the City Merced (City of Merced 2015). Due to topography and embankments, overflow from Bear Creek does not return to the channel. The natural slope is southwest from Bear Creek, but some of the overflow moves westward and northwestward into Merced along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway embankment. There are flood relief structures along the embankment that allow part of the overflow to proceed southwestward, but much of the floodwater flows into Merced, where it ponds and eventually overtops the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway embankment between R and V Streets. The floodwater then flows as shallow flooding southwestward through downtown Merced, ponds behind the Southern Pacific Railroad embankment, eventually overtops the railroad embankment, and finally continues as shallow flooding through southwest Merced. 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 18 Overflow from Bear Creek will also occur upstream of the West 16th Street bridges at several locations near the Daisy Park residential area. This floodwater will flow west through the Daisy Park area as shallow flooding, then over the Snelling Highway and into the Industrial Park area, where it will pond behind the U.S. Highway 99 embankment and the Black Rascal Creek levee. During the major flood events in 1969, 1997, 1998, and 2006, Bear Creek overflowed at the southwest end of the City of Merced in the vicinity of Thornton Avenue and State Highway 140.
Black Rascal Creek
Black Rascal Creek flood flows are diverted into Bear Creek approximately 3 miles east of Merced. Minor flooding from local runoff has occurred along Black Rascal Creek between G Street and Parsons Avenue.
Fahrens Creek
Fahrens Creek, which joins Black Rascal Creek near West Olive Avenue and State Highway 59 (Snelling Highway), flows through the northwestern part of Merced. Limited channel capacity, coupled with constricted bridge openings at State Highway 59, produces widespread ponding upstream from the bridges and road embankment.
A very large portion of the City of Merced is within the 100-year floodplain designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), particularly the southern portion of the City. Of the 14,954 acres within the City, 65.2% is within the floodplain: 60.7% (9,072 acres) is within the 100-year floodplain and
4.5% (668 acres) is within the 500-year floodplain. Based on the history of flooding in the County of Merced, the City of Merced and surrounding areas are considered to likely have the hazard potential for future flooding.
A flood vulnerability assessment was completed during the 2021 update, following the methodology described in Section 4 of the Base Plan. Flood hazards for the City of Merced are shown in Figure 2-3 and Table 2-5 summarizes the values at risk in the City’s 100-year floodplain, respectively. These tables also detail loss estimates for each flood.
2021 Merced County Hazard Mitigation Plan
Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 19 Figure 2-3 City of Merced 100-year Floodplain
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 20 Table 2-5 City of Merced FEMA 1% Annual Chance Flood Hazard, by Property Type Property
Type
Improved
Parcel
Count
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content Value Total Value Estimated
Loss Population
Agricultural 17 19 $704,235 $704,235 $1,408,470 $352,118 0 Commercial 527 1,873 $339,551,353 $339,551,353 $679,102,706 169,775,677 0 Exempt 433 960 $9,185,588 $9,185,588 $18,371,176 $4,592,794 0 Industrial 118 218 $167,406,079 $251,109,119 $418,515,198 $104,628,799 0 Mixed Use 9 9 $185,869 $185,869 $371,738 $92,935 29
Residential 9,161 12,140 $1,218,507,813 $609,253,907 $1,827,761,720 $456,940,430 38,848 Vacant 30 38 $1,030,699 $1,030,699 $2,061,398 $515,350 0 Total 10,295 15,257 $1,736,571,636 $1,211,020,769 $2,947,592,405 $736,898,101 38,877 Source: Merced County Assessor’s Office; National Flood Hazard Layer reflecting FEMA FIRM Effective 12/2/2008; FEMA; Wood analysis
Based on this analysis, the City of Merced has 10,295 improved parcels located within the 100-year floodplain for a total value of over $736 million. Of the 22,362 parcels within the City of Merced, this means that almost half (46%) of the total parcels in the City have a potential risk to flooding. Population at risk was calculated for the 100-year based on the number of residential properties at risk and the average number of persons per household (3.32). There is an estimated 38,877 persons at risk to flooding in the City of Merced. Table 2-6 summarizes the values at risk in the City’s 500-year floodplain.
Table 2-6 City of Merced FEMA 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Hazard, by Property Type Property
Type
Improved
Parcel
Count
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content
Value
Total Value Estimated
Loss Population
Commercial 30 31 $62,378,180 $62,378,180 $124,756,360 $31,189,090 Exempt 33 69 $0 $0 $0 $0
Mixed Use 2 3 $41,361 $41,361 $82,722 $20,681 10
Residential 1,594 2,412 $337,480,454 $337,480,454 $674,960,908 $168,740,227 7,718 Total 1,659 2,515 $399,899,995 $399,899,995 $799,799,990 $199,949,998 7,728
1,659 parcels were found to be located in within the 500-year floodplain, which represents 7% of the total parcels in the City.
Critical Facilities at Risk
Critical facilities are those community components that are most needed to withstand the impacts of disaster as previously described. Specific information on critical facilities can be found in Section 3.4.1 of the Base Plan. Information on key critical facilities and community assets in the City of Merced is also included in the GIS Experience Builder Application developed by the County and Wood to communicate the highlights of the risk assessment and validate the critical facility GIS data collected during the MJHMP update process. Table 2-7 lists the critical facilities in the City’s 100-year floodplains and Figure 2-4 shows the location of the critical facilities. The impact to the community could be great if these facilities are damaged or destroyed during a flood event.
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 21 Table 2-7 Critical Facilities at risk of 1% Annual Chance Flood Hazard, by FEMA Lifeline FEMA Lifeline Count
Communications 26
Energy 3
Food, Water, Shelter 30
Safety and Security 51
Transportation 25
Total 156
Source: HIFLD, FEMA NFHL
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 22 Figure 2-4 Critical Facilities at Risk of 1% Annual Flood Hazard
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 23 Insurance Coverage, Claims Paid, and Repetitive Losses
The City of Merced joined the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on November 1, 1979. NFIP Insurance data indicates that as of July 2021, there were 3,401 flood insurance policies in force in the City with $786,021,200 of coverage. Of the policies in place, there have been 152 claims for flood losses totaling $2,230,265 in total loss payments.
According to the FEMA Community Information System accessed August 11, 2021, the City has 12 Repetitive Loss properties that resulted in flood losses totaling $401,664 associated with building content losses. Of these losses, $392,643 of the payments were associated with building contents in Zones AE, A1- 30, AO, AH, and A. There were no Severe Repetitive Loss properties.
Future Development
The results of the SOI and flood analysis are shown in Table 2-8 and Table 2-9.
Table 2-8 Sphere of Influence Areas Exposed to 1% Annual Chance Flood Hazard Property
Type
Improved
Parcel
Count
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content
Value
Total Value Estimated
Loss Population
Agricultural 114 156 $10,783,537 $10,783,537 $21,567,074 $5,391,769 0 Commercial 53 76 $12,078,814 $12,078,814 $24,157,628 $6,039,407 0 Exempt 19 25 $5,465,593 $5,465,593 $10,931,186 $2,732,797 0 Industrial 27 46 $20,347,558 $30,521,337 $50,868,895 $12,717,224 0 Mixed Use 4 5 $16,064 $8,032 $24,096 $6,024 17
Residential 679 800 $105,267,278 $52,633,639 $157,900,917 $39,475,229 2,656 Vacant Land 12 13 $54,242 $54,242 $108,484 $27,121 0
Total 908 1,121 $154,013,086 $111,545,194 $265,558,280 $66,389,570 2,673 Source: Wood Analysis 2021
Table 2-9 Sphere of Influence Areas Expo sed to 0.5% Annual Chance Flood Hazard Property
Type
Improved
Parcel
Count
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content
Value
Total Value Estimated
Loss Population
Agricultural 9 10 $2,130,727 $2,130,727 $4,261,454 $1,065,364 0 Exempt 1 1 $2,848,363 $2,848,363 $5,696,726 $1,424,182 0 Residential 70 75 $24,684,881 $12,342,411 $37,027,322 $9,256,830 3 Total 80 87 $29,745,815 $17,362,453 $47,108,268 $11,777,067 252 Source: Wood Analysis 2021
2.3.5 Hazardous Material Incidents
Hazardous material incidents were ranked by the City as a priority hazard in both their previous plan and the current plan. These human-caused hazards are currently minimized through past studies completed to understand commodity flows, as documented in the City of Merced Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Study. The City’s Fire Department have also been trained to handle hazardous material incidents and currently have both a hazardous material technician and specialists on staff to respond to these incidents. 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 24 Further, the City established on Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the County to establish, support, and train the Merced County Hazardous Material Response Team.
2.3.6 Wildfires
Weather components, such as temperature, relative humidity, wind, and lightning, also affect the potential for wildfire. High temperatures and low relative humidity dry out the fuels that feed the wildfire creating a situation where fuel will more readily ignite and burn more intensely. Both urban and wildland fires conditions exist in Merced County and its cities which increases the chances for damage to property, loss of life and/or injury. In most of Merced County, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal FIRE) ranks fuel loading as low. Fuels are mainly crops and grasses. In the southwest corner of the County, there are some brush, pine, and grass fuels, which are ranked as moderate fuel hazards, primarily in the area west of Interstate 5. Figure 2-5 shows the fire threat areas in the City of Merced and Table 2-10 summarizes the values at risk and detail loss estimates. 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 25 Table 2-3 Properties Exposed to Wildfire Threat Areas in the City of Merced Property Type Improved Parcel Count
Building
Count
High
Building
Count
Moderate
Building
Count Low
Total
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content Value Total Value
Agricultural 3 0 1 3 4 $179,357 $179,357 $358,714
Commercial 2 0 0 6 6 $5,765,341 $5,765,341 $11,530,682
Exempt 28 1 13 19 33 $0 $0 $0
Industrial 3 0 0 4 4 $18,412,738 $27,619,107 $46,031,845 Mixed Use 1 0 0 1 1 $14,280 $14,280 $28,560
Residential 561 0 243 330 573 $132,105,988 $66,052,994 $198,158,982 Vacant Land 1 0 1 1 $26,508 $26,508 $53,016 1
Total 599 1 257 364 622 $156,504,212 $99,657,587 $256,161,799 Source: CAL FIRE, Merced County Assessor, Wood GIS analysis
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 26 Figure 2-5 Wildfire Threat Areas in City of Merced
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 27 Table 2-11 shows the results of the critical facility analysis by fire threat area.
Table 2-4 Critical Facilities Exposed to Wildfire Threat Areas FEMA Lifeline Count
Moderate Wildfire Threat
Food, Water, Shelter 1
Safety and Security 1
Transportation 1
Low Wildfire Threat
Food, Water, Shelter 1
Hazardous Materials 2
Safety and Security 1
Transportation 4
Total 11
Source: Merced County, HIFLD, CAL FIRE, FRAP, Wood GIS Analysis Figure 2-6 shows the fire responsibility areas in the City of Merced. Based on the analysis there are 970 residential buildings located with the moderate hazard area, with a total value of $314,703,588. Six critical facilities, categorized as Food, Water, and Shelter and Transportation Lifelines are located within the local responsibility moderate fire hazard area. Refer to Section 4 of the Base Plan for methodology and results of the countywide analysis.
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 28 Figure 2-6 City of Merced Fire Responsibility Areas
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 29 Future Development
The results of the SOI and wildfire analysis are shown Table 2-12 and Table 2-13.
Table 2-5 Sphere of Influence Areas Exposed Within Fire Severity Areas Property Type
Improved
Parcel
Count
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content Value Total Value Population
SRA Moderate
Agricultural 12 14 $1,276,826 $1,276,826 $2,553,652 0
Commercial 9 10 $3,892,834 $3,892,834 $7,785,668 0
Exempt 3 4 $0 $0 $0 0
Industrial 3 6 $1,333,846 $2,000,769 $3,334,615 0
Residential 158 167 $51,380,141 $25,690,071 $77,070,212 554 Vacant Land 4 4 $12,352 $12,352 $24,704 0
Total 189 205 $57,895,999 $32,872,852 $90,768,851 554
Source: CAL FIRE, Merced County Assessor, Wood GIS analysis Table 2-6 Sphere of Influence Areas Exposed Within Fire Threat Areas Property
Type
Improved
Parcel
Count
Building
Count
High
Building
Count
Moderate
Building
Count
Low
Total
Building
Count
Improved
Value
Estimated
Content
Value
Total Value Population
Agricultural 70 5 16 71 92 $8,158,058 $8,158,058 $16,316,116 Commercial 9 0 0 9 9 $5,621,324 $5,621,324 $11,242,648
Exempt 6 2 0 5 7 $2,737,730 $2,737,730 $5,475,460
Industrial 1 0 0 2 2 $153,070 $229,605 $382,675
Mixed Use 2 0 2 1 3 $54,673 $54,673 $109,346 10
Residential 227 31 68 147 246 $47,501,282 $23,750,641 $71,251,923 817 Vacant 6 2 1 3 6 $24,757 $24,757 $49,514
Total 162 1 67 127 195 $30,390,581 $23,025,641 $53,416,222 359 Source: CAL FIRE, Merced County Assessor, Wood GIS analysis 3 CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT
Capabilities are the programs and policies currently in use to reduce hazard impacts or that could be used to implement hazard mitigation activities. This capabilities assessment is divided into five sections:
regulatory mitigation capabilities, administrative and technical mitigation capabilities, fiscal mitigation capabilities, mitigation outreach and partnerships, and other mitigation efforts. To develop this capability assessment, the jurisdictional planning representatives reviewed a matrix of common mitigation activities to inventory which of these policies or programs and shared any updates or changes through the Merced Data Collection Guide. The team then supplemented this inventory by reviewing additional existing policies, regulations, plans, and programs to determine if they contribute to reducing hazard-related losses.
During the plan update process, this inventory was reviewed by the jurisdictional planning representatives and Wood consultant team staff to update information where applicable and note ways in which these capabilities have improved or expanded. For the City of Merced, the team and planning representatives 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 30 also noted key capabilities accounted for in the City’s existing LHMP. Additionally, in summarizing current capabilities and identifying gaps, the jurisdictional planning representatives also considered their ability to expand or improve upon existing policies and programs as potential new mitigation strategies. The City of Merced’s capabilities are summarized below.
3.1 Regulatory Capability
The regulatory and planning capabilities table lists planning and land management tools typically used by local jurisdictions to implement hazard mitigation activities. The table below indicates those that are in place in the City of Merced.
Table 3-1 City of Merced —Regul atory and Planning Capabilities Regulatory Tool
(ordinances, codes, plans) Yes/No Comments
General Plan Yes Merced Vision 2030 General Plan, Adopted January 3, 2012
Zoning ordinance Yes Title 20 of the Merced Municipal Code Subdivision ordinance Yes Title 18 of the Merced Municipal Code Growth management ordinance No
Floodplain ordinance Yes Title 17 of the Merced Municipal Code Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (Ordinance No.
1250)
Other special purpose ordinance
(stormwater, steep slope, wildfire)
No
Building code Yes 2019 California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 1 (California Administrative Code)
Title 17 Buildings and Construction
Fire department ISO rating Yes Rating: 2
Erosion or sediment control program Yes 1983 Merc ed Critical Area Flooding and Drainage Plan Stormwater management program Yes Phase II Small MS4 General Permit (Permit No. CA000004, Water Quality Order No. 2013-0001 DWQ)
Program Effectiveness Assessment and Improvement Plan
for the City of Merced, City of Atwater, and Merced
County
Title 15 of the Merced Municipal Code, Division III – Storm Water System, Chapter 15.50 – Storm Water Management
and Discharge Control
Storm Drain Master Plan
Site plan review requirements Yes Title 20 of the Merced Municipal Code Chapter 20.32.030 – Site Plan Review
Capital improvements plan Yes City of Merced 2018-2023 Five-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Economic development plan Yes Economic De velopment Department 2012 Economic Development Action Plan
Local emergency operations plan Yes City of Merced Emergency Operations Plan 2003 City of Merced Emergency Response/Disaster Plan
Other special plans No
Flood insurance study or other
engineering study for streams
Yes Flood Insurance Study (December 2, 2008)
Elevation certificates (for floodplain
development)
Yes Flood Elevation Certificates
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 31 Regulatory Tool
(ordinances, codes, plans) Yes/No Comments
Other No
Merced Vision 2030 General Plan, 2012 - The City of Merced adopted its first General Plan in 1950. The most recent update occurred in 2012 and resulted in the adoption of the Merced Vision 2030 General Plan in January 2012, with an anticipated horizon year of 2030. This General Plan defines the City’s goals, objectives and policies that guide the physical growth, use and development of land under the jurisdictional authority of the City.
The purpose of the Safety Element is to reduce or eliminate long term risk to people and property from natural or human caused hazards. This element focuses on establishing policies and programs to protect the community from risks associated with seismically-induced ground shaking, ground failure, dam failure/seiche, flooding, and wildfire. The element also covers human-caused hazards such as airport safety, crime and policing, and hazardous materials and waste.
The City of Merced 2030 General Plan Safety Element (Chapter 11) includes Policy S-1.1 – Develop and Maintain Emergency Preparedness Procedures for the City, which includes an implementing action to adopt and update the City of Merced LHMP, as needed. As previously noted, the City developed a single- jurisdictional and stand-alone LHMP in 2015. The goals and policies in the City’s 2030 General Plan Safety Element support and are consistent with the mitigation strategy actions in the 2015 LHMP. The 2015 City of Merced LHMP was also incorporated by reference into the Safety Element following plan amendments in 2015 (March 16, 2015 Resolution #2015-09).
City of Merced Emergency Response/Disaster Plan, 2011 (Emergency Operations Plan) - The City’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) addresses the planned response to emergency situations associated with natural disasters, technological incidents, human caused events and national security emergencies in or affecting the City of Merced. The EOP, also referred to as the Emergency Response/Disaster Plan, was updated in 2011 to address mitigation, planning, response, and recovery activities from various emergency situations. The EOP is compliant with the requirements of the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS), the Incident Command System (ICS), and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). It is regularly updated by the City to prepare the community for responding to an emergency situation in a highly organized and efficient manner. The EOP was revised and updated in 2017 to meet local, state and federal needs.
Merced Fire Department – The City of Merced Fire Department (MFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical response services within the City limits. The City of Merced was established in 1873 and provides fire, rescue, and emergency management services for the citizens and visitors of Merced.
The MFD operates out of five fire stations that on average respond to 11,230 calls per calendar year. As of 2020, the MFD employs 63 public safety members and three support personnel. The MFD has five engines, one truck, one battalion chief, six captains, six engineers, and six firefighters to provide a minimum daily staffing of 19 personnel to cover daily staffing needs within the City California Fire Code Chapter 17.32 – The City of Merced adopts by reference as its fire code, the International Fire Code, 2018 Edition and the California Fire Code, 2019 Edition, and including among Appendices, Appendix Chapter 4 (Special Detailed Requirements Based on Use and Occupancy); Appendix Chapter B (Fire Flow Requirements for Buildings); Appendix Chapter C (Fire Hydrant Locations and Distribution); Appendix Chapter CC (Fire Hydrant Locations and Distribution); Appendix D (Fire Apparatus Access Roads); Appendix F (Hazard Ranking); Appendix H (Hazardous Materials Management Plans and Hazardous Materials Inventory Statements); Appendix I (Fire Protection system-Noncompliance Conditions); and Appendix J (Emergency Responder Radio Coverage), based on the 2009 International Fire 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 32 Code as published by the International Code Council (ICC) and as adopted and amended by the California Building Standards Commission in the California Building Standards Code Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations.
Flood Damage Prevention Chapter 17.48.020 (Ordinance No. 2321) – It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare, and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions in specific areas by provisions designed to:
Ɣ To protect human life and health;
Ɣ To minimize expenditure of public money for costly flood control projects; Ɣ To minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;
Ɣ To minimize prolonged business interruptions;
Ɣ To minimize damage to public facilities and utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges located in areas of special flood hazard; Ɣ To help maintain a stable tax base by providing for the sound use and development of areas of special flood hazard so as to minimize future flood blight areas; Ɣ To ensure that potential buyers are notified that property is in an area of special flood hazard; and Ɣ To ensure that those who occupy the areas of special flood hazard assume responsibility for their actions.
3.2 Administrative and Technical Capability
The table below identifies City personnel with responsibilities for activities related to mitigation and loss prevention in the City of Merced. Many positions are full time and/or filled by the same person. A summary of technical resources follows.
Table 3-2 City of Merced – Personnel Capabilities
Personnel Resources Yes/No Department/Position Comments Planner/engineer with knowledge of land
development/land management
practices
Yes City Planning
Department/Planning
Manager
Engineer/professional trained in
construction practices related to
buildings and/or infrastructure
Yes City Engineering
Department/City Engineer
Planner/engineer/scientist with an
understanding of natural hazards
No
Personnel skilled in GIS Yes GIS Coordinator
Full time building official Yes Inspection Services/Chief Building Official
Floodplain manager Yes City Engineer
Emergency manager No
Grant writer No
Other personnel NA
GIS Data Resources
(Hazard areas, critical facilities, land use,
building footprints, etc.)
Yes GIS Coordinator
Warning Systems/Services
(Reverse 9-11, cable override, outdoor
warning signals)
Yes Merced County Emergency
Alert System
Everbridge
Other NA
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 33 The City operates under a City Council/City Manager form of government. The City Council makes laws and sets policies, which are enforced and implemented by the City Manager, with the assistance of subordinate officers, department heads, and the City Clerk, City Treasurer and City Attorney. Municipal elections are held every two years in November of even-numbered years with City Council terms overlapping. The Mayor and two Council Members are elected at one election, and the other two Council Members, City Clerk and City Treasurer are elected at the next election.
The City of Merced provides water, sewer, and garbage services through their monthly utility services.
They also provide storm drainage, police, fire, and general government services.
The Merced City School District serves school-aged children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8). There are 14 elementary schools (K-6), four middle schools (7-8), and one school that serves pre- school students (pre-school program). High school education is provided by the Merced Union High School District which has eight comprehensive high schools and one continuation school. The City also offers opportunities for post-secondary education with satellite campuses for Merced College, UC Merced and other graduate schools.
3.3 Fiscal Capability
The following table identifies financial tools or resources that the City could potentially use to help fund mitigation activities. There are currently no specific funding sources for hazard mitigation.
Table 3-3 City of Merced —Available Financial Tools and Resources Financial Resources Accessible/
Eligible to Use
Has This Been Used for
Mitigation in the Past? Comments
Community Development
Block Grants
Yes No
Capital improvements project
funding
Yes No The City Council needs to approve
and establish a CIP.
Authority to levy taxes for
specific purposes
Yes No The City Council needs to approve
authority to levy taxes; this must
also be voted on by the
community.
Fees for water, sewer, gas, or
electric services, new
development
Yes No
Incur debt through general
obligation bonds
Yes No
Incur debt through special tax
bonds
Yes No
Incur debt through private
activities
Yes No
Federal Grant Programs
(Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program)
Yes No
3.4 Outreach and Partnerships
The Merced County Office of Emergency Services provides education and outreach on Disaster Preparedness for all of the jurisdictions within the County. This education program is in coordination and 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 34 partnerships with county and the cities’ departments with education programs including the Sheriff’s Office, Police Departments, Fire Departments, Agricultural Commissioner, and the Department of Public Health.
During the 2021 planning process the following outreach efforts were identified:
Ɣ Ongoing newsletter
Ɣ Fire Prevention School Programs
Ɣ Presence and use of social media
Education and outreach efforts, as well as emergency response planning, will need to address the needs of low-income residents and the large Spanish-speaking population. In past emergencies, volunteers have organized spontaneously to help those with mobility issues.
3.4.1 Planning Commission
The Planning Commission reviews development proposals for compliance with the General Plan and makes recommendations to the City Council on long range plans and maps for the City and plans for public improvements, plans and development plans for proposed for property within the City, and zoning and rezoning of property within the City. The Commission develops and maintains a long range comprehensive General Plan of the Merced planning area.
3.4.2 City Fire Department
The City Fire Department has a public education program in place that annually visits all 2 nd grade
classrooms to present the Exit Drills in the Home (EDITH).
3.5 Other Mitigation Efforts
In addition to the project identified in the City’s Mitigation Action plan the City of Merced’s Fire Department conducts annual fire and life safety inspections for all businesses and SB 1205 mandates reporting compliance of state mandated inspections for Hotels, Motels, Apartments, Schools, Jails and various residential care facilities. As a result, the City of Merced Fire Department conducts annual fire and life safety inspections for all businesses mandated by California Health and Safety Code. Fire and life safety inspections are annually completed for mercantile, assemblies, factories, hazardous, and storage facilities. In addition, city-wide weed abatement is heavily enforced.
3.6 Opportunities for Enhancement
Based on the capabilities assessment, the City of Merced has several existing mechanisms in place that already help to mitigate hazards. There are also opportunities for the City to expand or improve on their policies, programs and fiscal capabilities and further protect the community. Future improvements may include providing training for staff members related to hazards or hazard mitigation grant funding in partnership with the County and Cal OES. Additional training opportunities will help to inform City staff members on how best to integrate hazard information and mitigation projects into their departments.
Continuing to train City staff on mitigation and the hazards that pose a risk to the City of Merced will lead to more informed staff members who can better communicate this information to the public. Given the City’s flood risk and number of flood insurance policies, joining the Community Rating System could be another capability enhancement that could benefit residents by lowering flood insurance premiums.
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 35 4 MITIGATION STRATEGY
4.1 Goals and Objectives
The City of Merced adopts the hazard mitigation goals and objectives developed by the Planning Team and described in Section 5 Mitigation Strategy of the Basin Plan.
4.2 Continued Compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program The City has been an NFIP participating community since 1974. In addition to the mitigation actions identified herein the City will continue to comply with the NFIP. Floodplain management is under the purview of the Inspection Services Department and the Chief Building Official. This includes ongoing activities such as enforcing local floodplain development regulations, including issuing permits for appropriate development in Special Flood Hazard Areas and ensuring that this development mitigated in accordance with the regulations. This will also include periodic reviews of the floodplain ordinance to ensure that it is clear and up to date and reflects new or revised flood hazard mapping.
4.3 Progress on 2014 Actions
During the 2021 planning process the City of Merced Planning Team reviewed all the mitigation actions from their 2015 plan. Of their nine mitigation actions from 2015, three (3) of the actions are continuing and are implemented annually, demonstrating ongoing progress and building the community’s resiliency to disasters. Six (56) were noted as being continuing not started.
4.4 Mitigation Actions
The Planning Team for the City identified and prioritized the following mitigation actions based on risk assessments, goals, and objectives. Background information as well as information on how the action will be implemented and administered, such as ideas for implementation, responsible office, partners, potential funding, estimated cost, and timeline also are described. 2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 36 Table 4-1 City of Merced Mitigation Action Plan
ID
Goal(s)
and
Lifelines
Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Description/Background/
Benefits
Lead
Agency
and
Partners
Cost
Estimate
and
Potential
Funding
Priority Timeline Status/Implementation
Notes
1 3, 4, 5,
Energy
Flood and
Levee
Failure,
Earthquake,
Wildfire
Prepare an Energy Assurance Plan Public
Works
$100,000
Federal
Grants
High 3 years Continue Not Started
2 1, 2, 3, 5
Safety
and
Security
Flood and
Levee
Failure
Develop and enhance storm-water
drainage improvements to reduce
frequent flooding
Developme
nt Services
$5,000
General
Fund
High 3 years Continue In-Progress
3 1, 2, 3, 6
Safety
and
Security
Dam
Incidents,
Flood and
Levee
Failure,
Earthquake,
Wildfire
Create a Disaster Preparedness Program
Fire
Department
$100,000
Federal
Grants
High 3 years Continue Not Started
4 1, 2, 3, 5,
Safety
and
Security
Flood and
Levee
Failure
Support Merced County efforts to
construct the Haystack Alternative of
Black Rascal Creek
Developme
nt Services
$50,000 –
100,000
Federal
Grants
Medium 1 year Continue Not Started
5 1, 2, 3, 5,
Safety
and
Security
Flood and
Levee
Failure
Update the City’s Storm-water Drainage
Master Plan
Developme
nt Services
Staff time
Dept.
Budget
Medium 1 year Continue In-Progress
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 37 ID
Goal(s)
and
Lifelines
Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Description/Background/
Benefits
Lead
Agency
and
Partners
Cost
Estimate
and
Potential
Funding
Priority Timeline Status/Implementation
Notes
6 1, 2, 6, 7;
Safety
and
Security;
Food,
Water,
and
Shelter
Dam
Incidents,
Flood and
Levee
Failure,,
Earthquake,
Wildfire
Prepare a Shelter and Emergency-
Provision Plan
Fire
Department
$100,000
Federal
Grants
Medium 1 year Continue Not Started
7 1, 2, 3, 6;
Food
Water,
and
Shelter
Wildfire Prepare a Natural Area Fire Prevention
Plan
Fire
Department
$100,000
Federal
Grants
Low 3 to 5
years Continue Not Started
8 1, 2, 3, 6,
7; Safety
and
Security
Earthquake
Perform building-specific, structural
seismic vulnerability assessment of City-
owned critical facilities
Public
Works
$100,000 -
$200,000
FEMA
HMA
Grants
Low 3 years Continue Not Started
9 1, 2, 3, 6,
7; Safety
and
Security
Earthquake
Create a program to retrofit or upgrade
unreinforced masonry buildings in
Downtown Merced, or other buildings in
the Plan area.
Developme
nt Services
$100,000 -
$1,000,000
FEMA
HMA
Grants
Low 3 to 5
years Continue Not Started
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021 – 2026 Update Page 38 ID
Goal(s)
and
Lifelines
Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Description/Background/
Benefits
Lead
Agency
and
Partners
Cost
Estimate
and
Potential
Funding
Priority Timeline Status/Implementation
Notes
10 1, 2, 3, 5,
Safety
and
Security
Flooding Consideration for enrolling in the NFIP
Community Rating System program
Engineering
Department
$75,000
Staff time
Dept.
Budget
Medium 3 to 5
years New in 2021
11 1, 2, 3, 6;
Food
Water,
and
Shelter
Severe
Weather:
Extreme
Temperatur
es/Extreme
Heat
Identify and open additional cooling
zones and centers within the City of
Merced to provide additional capacity of
vulnerable populations
Police
Department
$25,000
Staff time
Dept.
Budget
Medium 3 to 5
years New in 2021
12 1, 2, 3, 6;
Food
Water,
and
Shelter
Wildfire
Enhance the City Weed Abatement
Program to included mandatory debris
clean-up and vegetation clearing on
properties to mitigate wildfire risk. This
action includes utilizing surveys and GIS
tools to identify seasonal wildfire hazards
in the community, providing notice to
property owners, and clearing the
properties to reduce wildfire potential,
loss of property and injury, and improve
air quality.
Fire
Department
$75,000
Staff time
General
Fund
High 1 year New in 2021
2021 Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Annex F: City of Merced
Merced County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | 2021–2026 Update Page 39 5 IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE
Moving forward, the City will use the mitigation action table in the previous section to track progress on implementation of each project. Implementation of the plan overall is discussed in Section 6 in the Base Plan.
5.1 Incorporation into Existing Planning Mechanisms
The information contained within this plan, including results from the Vulnerability Assessment, and the Mitigation Strategy will be used by the City to help inform updates and the development of local plans, programs and policies. The Engineering or Planning Departments may utilize the hazard information when implementing the City’s Community Investment Program and the Planning Department may utilize the hazard information when reviewing a site plan or other type of development applications. The City will also incorporate the 2021 MJHMP into the Safety Element of their General Plan, as recommended by Assembly Bill (AB) 2140.
As noted in Section 6 of the Base Plan, the HMPT representatives from Merced will report on efforts to integrate the hazard mitigation plan into local plans, programs and policies and will report on these efforts at the annual HMPT plan review meeting.
5.2 Monitoring, Evaluation and Updating the Plan
The City will follow the procedures to monitor, review, and update this plan in accordance with Merced County as outlined in Section 6 of the Base Plan. The City will continue to involve the public in mitigation, as described in Section 6.2.1 of the Base Plan. The Fire Department, Fire Chief or assigned designee will be responsible for representing the City of Merced in the County HMPT, and for coordination with City staff and departments during plan updates. The City realizes it is important to review the plan regularly and update it every five years in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act Requirements as well as other State of California requirements.