City of Piedmont
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: March 2, 2026
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Rosanna Bayon Moore, City Administrator
SUBJECT: Consideration of a Resolution Adopting the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
RECOMMENDATION
By a single motion, take the following action:
1. Approve the attached resolution adopting the City of Piedmont 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
2. Find that this action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a), in that the adoption of the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan does not have a potential for a direct physical change or reasonably indirect physical change in the environment, and State Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), providing that actions are not subject to CEQA where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Piedmont seeks adoption of its updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), a federally required document that makes the City eligible for FEMA hazard mitigation grants and provides a five-year roadmap for reducing risks from natural disasters.
Piedmont's first LHMP was adopted in 2019. In November 2023, FEMA awarded the City a grant to develop its first update. Foster Morrison Consulting was selected in September 2024 to lead the effort.
The planning process engaged community members, local agencies, neighboring cities, and regional partners through a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC). Extensive public outreach included surveys, community events, and other outreach intended to be accessible and bring in perspectives from the whole community.
The LHMP identifies eleven natural hazards facing Piedmont, including climate change, drought, earthquake, floods, and wildfire. Through comprehensive risk assessment and community input, the plan establishes five strategic goals focused on minimizing vulnerability, enhancing public awareness and preparedness, improving resilience, integrating mitigation into city policies, and maintaining FEMA eligibility.
These goals support thirty specific mitigation actions the City of Piedmont can undertake over the next five years, updating some projects from 2019 while identifying new priorities. While LHMP adoption results in no direct fiscal impact, it positions Piedmont to pursue federal grant funding for hazard mitigation projects and future updates, representing a strategic investment in community resilience.
BACKGROUND
Natural hazards can cause loss of life, damage property and infrastructure. These events can also harm a community’s economic, social and environmental well-being. Hazard mitigation lessens the impacts of natural hazards by taking actions before the next event. Hazard mitigation plans raise awareness of hazards, risks and vulnerabilities. They also identify ways to reduce risk and focus local resources on the greatest risks. At the same time, they communicate local priorities to state and federal officials.
The Disaster Mitigation Act (DMA) of 2000 requires a jurisdiction to have a current, adopted FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation Plan to be eligible for hazard mitigation grants which is the primary financial incentive for municipalities to adopt such plans. Additionally, a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) provides a five-year roadmap to guide policy and funding decisions based on input and priorities from throughout the community. Projects must be included in the plan to be eligible for FEMA hazard mitigation grant funding.
In 2019, the City of Piedmont adopted its first FEMA and CalOES approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). Plans are approved for five years and in November of 2023 the City of Piedmont was awarded a Hazard Mitigation Grant by FEMA for the development of an updated LHMP. Preparation of the LHMP update involved an extensive citywide planning process and included the following participants:
1. Members of the public
2. Local special districts including PUSD
3. Private agencies
4. Representatives from neighboring cities, including Oakland
5. Other stakeholders invited to participate in the plan development process as members of the Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC)
To conduct this extensive planning process, in September 2024, the City of Piedmont selected Foster Morrison Consulting through a competitive process, bringing experience as the consultant who wrote the City’s 2019 LHMP, expertise in the mitigation planning process, and extensive experience throughout neighboring and regional communities in California.
FEMA’s Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide outlines the requirements and processes jurisdictions must follow to produce an adopted LHMP. City staff worked with the Foster Morrison team to engage in an extensive public outreach campaign to gain stakeholder input, assess Piedmont’s risk from natural disasters, develop a strategy to mitigate against those risks, and shepherd the plan through CalOES and FEMA approval before ultimately coming before the City Council for adoption.
The planning process began with the creation of a Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) comprised of staff, community subject matter experts, partners from neighboring jurisdictions, and agencies, including CalOES. This group met regularly over the year and gave technical expertise and decisions throughout.
Agenda Report Page 2
The work of the HMPC was coupled with a robust public education and outreach campaign, beginning in November 2024. Outreach occurred in multiple formats, driven by the goals of meeting people where they are, creating opportunities for meaningful input, and fostering a sense of community ownership over the mitigation strategy. Activities included:
• Comprehensive project website
• Project updates email list (84 subscribers)
• Presentations at Public Safety Committee and Park Commission meetings • Community Workshop (March 2025, 50+ attendees)
• 2 online surveys (historic hazard information; mitigation strategy input) • Partner presentations with community groups including League of Women Voters and Walking on Wednesdays
• Tabling at community events including the Adult Recreation Expo, Food Fest, and Arbor Day
Outreach efforts resulted in direct engagement with over 300 community members throughout the process, and community feedback was used to inform the list of projects included in the mitigation strategy.
Development of the LHMP centered on a risk assessment which included natural hazard identification and then developing a mitigation strategy. Chapter 4 of the LHMP identifies 11 hazards facing Piedmont including climate change, drought, earthquake, floods, wildfire, and more. The chapter also identifies hazards that are common in the United States but ruled out for Piedmont. The compilation was informed by historical accounts, data, and research. Hazard identification is the first step of risk assessment and chapter 4 includes extensive risk analysis determining the likely loss posed by each of the hazards using technical assessments, analytic tools, and research.
Understanding Piedmont’s risks from natural hazards, the HMPC defined five goals for the hazard mitigation strategy with input from the public:
1) Minimize the City of Piedmont’s risk and vulnerability from the impacts of natural hazards, protect lives and reduce damage and losses to property, public health, the economy, and the environment.
2) Enhance public education, awareness, prevention, preparedness, and action to minimize hazard related losses.
3) Improve City’s resilience and capabilities to mitigate losses and to be prepared for, respond to, and recover from a disaster event.
4) Integrate mitigation principles into laws, regulations, policies and guides to support equitable outcomes to benefit the whole Community.
5) Maintain FEMA eligibility/position the community for grant funding.
These goals are the basis for 30 mitigation actions that Piedmont can take over the next five years to help make the City more resilient to natural hazards. Again, with significant input from the community, the HMPC enumerated these mitigation actions, updating some from the 2019 LHMP as well as creating new actions. Table 5-2 City of Piedmont Mitigation Actions is found in Chapter Agenda Report Page 3
5: Mitigation Strategy of the 2025 LHMP followed by detailed descriptions of each.
Mitigation measures in the LHMP do not compel the City to act. Rather, they enable the City to elevate certain projects for consideration in the future. When thoughtfully prepared, they inform future policy decisions, resource allocations, and grant applications. Annual review of the LHMP provides leadership and the organization the opportunity to update the plan and look at possibilities for upcoming budget cycles.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adoption of a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan is a requirement for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant eligibility. Such grants can be used for design and construction of projects included in the City’s LHMP. This is also the grant source for future LHMP updates. While there is not a direct fiscal impact by adopting this plan, it could create opportunities to fund future projects with federal grants.
CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan has been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney.
Prepared by: Dave Brannigan, Fire Chief
ATTACHMENTS:
1 - Resolution No__ adopting the Piedmont Local Hazard Mitigation Plan 2 - FEMA contingent approval letter dated January 6, 2026 3 - 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Available at:
https://www.piedmont.ca.gov/services___departments/planning___building/general_plan___oth er_policy_documents/hazard_mitigation_plan_
Agenda Report Page 4
Resolution No. ______
ADOPTING THE CITY OF PIEDMONT 2025 LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN WHEREAS, the City of Piedmont recognizes the threat that natural hazards pose to people and property within the City of Piedmont, and
WHEREAS, the City of Piedmont has prepared a multi-hazard mitigation plan, hereby known as the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan in accordance with federal laws, including the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, as amended; the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended; and the National Dam Safety Program Act, as amended; and WHEREAS, the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies mitigation goals and actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property in City of Piedmont from the impacts of future hazards and disasters; and
WHEREAS, adoption by the City of Piedmont demonstrates its commitment to hazard mitigation and achieving the goals outlined in the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan; and WHEREAS, the City of Piedmont seeks FEMA approval of the hazard mitigation plan, desires to comply with the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act and to augment its emergency planning efforts by formally adopting the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan by reference into the Safety Element of the General Plan in accordance with the requirements of AB 2140; and WHEREAS, the City of Piedmont desires to augment its emergency planning efforts by formally adopting the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and to comply with the funding eligibility requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act; and
WHEREAS, adoption of the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan by the City Council demonstrates the City of Piedmont’s commitment to fulfilling the mitigation goals and objectives outlined in this Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Piedmont does hereby resolve, declare, determine, and order as follows:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are correct and are incorporated into this Resolution as findings of the City Council.
SECTION 2. The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan dated November 2025 is hereby adopted.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk is directed to the forward a copy of this resolution, along with the adopted Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, to the California Office of Emergency Services and FEMA Region IX to enable the plan’s final approval in accordance with the requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act and to establish conformance with the requirements of AB 2140.
Attachment 1 Agenda Report Page 5
SECTION 4. The City Council of the City of Piedmont hereby finds this action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a), in that the adoption of the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan does not have a potential for a direct physical change or reasonably indirect physical change in the environment, and State Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), providing that actions are not subject to CEQA where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Attachment 1 Agenda Report Page 6
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
FEMA Region 9
1111 Broadway, Suite 1200
Oakland, CA 94607-4052
www.fema.gov
January 6, 2026
Dave Brannigan
Fire Chief
City of Piedmont Fire
120 Vista Ave.
Piedmont, CA 94611
Reference: Hazard Mitigation Plan Approvable Pending Adoption City of Piedmont, CA
Dear Dave Brannigan:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has completed its review of the 2025 City of Piedmont Hazard Mitigation Plan and has determined that the plan is eligible for final approval, pending its formal adoption by the City of Piedmont.
Formal adoption documentation must be submitted to FEMA Region 9 within one calendar year from the date of this letter. If the adoption is not received within that timeframe, the plan must be updated and resubmitted for review.
FEMA will issue formal approval of the plan upon receipt of the adoption documentation.
Adoption of the plan is required to maintain eligibility for funding under FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) programs. All funding requests will be evaluated individually based on the specific eligibility criteria and requirements of the applicable HMA program.
Please note that while local hazard mitigation plans may include additional content to meet Element H: Additional State Requirements or other local objectives, FEMA’s Approvable Pending Adoption (APA) status does not constitute review or approval of any content exceeding FEMA’s standard mitigation planning requirements.
If you have any questions regarding the planning or review processes, please contact the FEMA Region 9 Hazard Mitigation Planning Team at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Alison Kearns
Planning and Implementation Branch Chief
Mitigation Division
FEMA Region 9
Attachment 2 Agenda Report Page 7
City of Piedmont Hazard Mitigation Plan Approvable Pending Adoption Notice January 6, 2026
www.fema.gov
Enclosure (1)
City of Piedmont Plan Review Tool, dated January 6, 2026 cc: Victoria LaMar-Haas, Hazard Mitigation Planning Chief, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Attachment 2 Agenda Report Page 8