City Council and Authorities Concurrent
August 27, 2024

Every 5 years, or
upon
comprehensive
update to General
Plan or major
disaster
MJHMP County
Project Manager
Jurisdictional
points of contacts
identified in
Volume 2 annexes

17.8 Plan Implementation
Each planning partner is responsible for implementing specific mitigation actions as described in the mitigation strategies located in the annexes. In each mitigation strategy, every proposed action is assigned to a specific department or division in order to assign responsibility and accountability and increase the likelihood of subsequent implementation. This approach enables individual participants to update their unique mitigation strategy as needed, without altering the broader focus of the count ywide plan. The separate adoption of participant-specific actions also ensures that each plan member is not held responsible for monitoring and implementing the actions of other jurisdictions or special districts involved in the planning process.

The Santa Clara County MJHMP Project Manager is the lead position for plan implementation and will work with the planning partner to ensure mitigation actions are implemented according to jurisdictional or special district capabilities and planning procedures. Each partner will implement the plan and their individual mitigation actions, as resources permit, through existing plans, programs, and policies and in the timeframe appropriate for their planning processes. This implementation will be done by reviewing the MJHMP and mitigation strategy during the update of the planning mechanisms identified.

As necessary, partners may consider seeking outside funding sources to implement mitigation projects in both the pre-disaster and post-disaster environments. When applicable, potential funding sources have been identified for proposed actions listed in the mitigation strategies.

17.9 Plan Maintenance Element
Planning partner points of contact will continue to collaborate as a planning group in coordination with the Santa Clara County MJHMP Project Manager. Primary contact will be through emails and conference calls. Partner points of contact will jointly lead the plan maintenance and update process by:
 Discussing methods for continued public involvement and education; Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Section 17: Mitigation Strategy 444
 Documenting successes and lessons learned;
 Researching new or updated data, laws, policies, regulations, or initiatives that can contribute to hazard histories, risk assessments, loss estimates, vulnerabilities of assets, or action items for plan participants;
 Reviewing potential funding availability, including state and federal grant program Notices of Funding Opportunities;
 Assessing the progress of previously implemented actions that reduce vulnerability and losses, and any new opportunities for mitigation actions; and
 Maintaining and completing documentation of the MJHMP maintenance process.

Each planning partner is responsible for monitoring and tracking the progress of action items identified by their jurisdiction or special district in this MJHMP and submitting a status summary to the County ’s project manager on a yearly basis.

Additionally, each planning partner point of contact will work with their Local Planning Teams and other jurisdictional or special district representatives to:
 Review existing action items to determine appropriateness for local funding;  Prioritize potential mitigation projects; and
 Update decision makers on progress of the plan.

17.9.1 Plan Update
The planning partners intend to update the hazard mitigation plan on a 5-year cycle from the date of initial plan adoption in accordance with the update schedule outlined in the DMA 2000. This cycle may be accelerated to less than 5 years based on the following triggers:
 A Presidential Disaster Declaration that impacts the OA.  A hazard event that causes loss of life.
 A comprehensive update of a planning partner’s general plan.

It will not be the intent of future updates to develop a completely new hazard mitigation plan for the OA.

The update will, at a minimum, include the following elements:
 The update process will be convened through a new planning partner group.  The hazard risk assessment will be reviewed and, if necessary, updated using best available information and technologies.
 The action plans will be reviewed and revised to account for any actions completed, no longer relevant, or changed and to account for changes in the risk assessment or new policies id entified under other planning mechanisms.
 The draft update will be sent to appropriate agencies and organizations for comment.  The public will be given an opportunity to comment on the update prior to adoption.  planning partner governing bodies will adopt the updated plan.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Section 17: Mitigation Strategy 445

17.9.2 Grant Monitoring and Coordination
Santa Clara County OEM intends to be a resource to the planning partnership in the support of project grant writing and development. The degree of this support will depend on the level of assistance requested by the partnership during open windows for grant applications. It is not Santa Clara County OEM’s intent to lead any grant application effort for any specific planning partner requesting assistance. It will be the role of Santa Clara County OEM staff to provide support to a lead jurisdiction by providing or identifying resources for project development, scoping, feasibility, grant writing, environmental/historic preservation application, and benefit/cost analyses. As part of grant monitoring and coordination, Santa Clara County OEM agrees to provide the following:
 Notification to planning partners about impending grant opportunities.  A current list of eligible, jurisdiction-specific projects for funding pursuit consideration.  Notification about mitigation priorities for the fiscal year to assist the planning partners in the selection of appropriate projects.
 Training on the FEMA benefit-cost analysis tool upon request.  Training on the sub-applicant system upon request.
 Grant writing technical assistance upon request.
 Technical review of the completed sub-applicant package upon request.

Grant monitoring and coordination is expected to occur on an annual basis in coordination with the annual progress report or as needed based on the availability of non-HMA or post-disaster funding opportunities.

17.9.3 Continuing Public Involvement
Each planning partner has agreed to provide links to the hazard mitigation plan website on their individual jurisdictional websites to increase avenues of public access to the plan. Santa Clara County OEM has agreed to maintain the hazard mitigation plan website. This site will not only house the final plan, but it will also become the one-stop shop for information regarding the plan, the partnership and plan implementation. The plan will be posted to the Office of Emergency Management’s website, where there will be an opportunity for continued public feedback and engagement with the County mitigation planning team by providing their contact information. To ensure continued public engagement on issues relating to hazard mitigation, all comments received from the public and from interested agencies on this hazard mitigation plan will be reviewed as part of the plan maintenance procedures.

Public participation will be sought throughout the implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of the MJHMP. This participation can be sought in a multitude of ways, including but not limited to periodic presentations on the plan’s progress to elected officials, schools, or other community groups; questionnaires or surveys; public meetings; and postings on social media and participant websites.

Each participant in this plan is responsible for creating and documenting continued public involvement opportunities throughout the life of the MJHMP. The Santa Clara County NHMP Project Manager may facilitate countywide public involvement strategies that include plan participants, such as partnering with the countywide groups and organizations to distribute and disseminate public surveys and information related to mitigation. Copies of the MJHMP and annual revisions will be posted on the websites of plan participants, as appropriate.

The Santa Clara County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan acts as a foundation plan for the entire County. MJHMP will inform many other planning efforts such as plans relating to infrastructure projects (green or otherwise), the County of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Plan, the County of Santa Clara Disaster Recovery Framework (currently in draft), and the Office of Emergency Management Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Section 17: Mitigation Strategy 446
Strategic Visioning Plan. Additionally, all other County plans that require a review of hazards and vulnerability will be informed by the MJHMP.

17.9.4 Incorporation into Other Planning Mechanisms
The information on hazard, risk, vulnerability, and mitigation contained in this plan is based on the best science and technology available at the time this plan was prepared. The general plans of the planning partners are considered to be integral parts of this plan. The planning partners, through adoption of general plans and zoning ordinances, have planned for the impact of natural hazards. The plan development process provided them with the opportunity to review and expand on policies contained within these planning mechanisms. The planning partners used their general plans and the hazard mitigation plan as complementary documents that work together to achieve the goal of reducing risk exposure to the citizens of the OA. An update to a general plan may trigger an update to the hazard mitigation plan.

All municipal planning partners are committed to creating a linkage between the hazard mitigation plan and their individual general plan. Additionally, all planning partners are committed to being in full compliance with California Assembly Bill 2140 and Senate Bill 379, which promote the integration of local hazard mitigation plans and general plans and mandate that these plans address climate change. Other planning processes and programs to be coordinated with the recommendations of the hazard mitigation plan include the following:
 Emergency response plans.
 Training and exercise of emergency response plans.
 Debris Management Plans.
 Recovery Plans.
 Capital improvement programs.
 Municipal codes.
 Community design guidelines.
 Water-efficient landscape design guidelines.
 Stormwater management programs.
 Water system vulnerability assessments.
 Community Wildfire Protection Plans.
 Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plans.
 Resiliency Plans.
 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery action plans.  Public information/Education plans.

Santa Clara County understands the importance of integrating plans in order to align efforts and increase the chances of success. Plan integration, including working closely with the County’s Safety Element update team and the countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan team, has been a key element of this plan update. In addition to collaborating with these plan updates to integrate public feedback and wildfire risk data, the County will integrate this plan into other planning mechanisms as well. The MJMHP acts as a foundation plan for the entire County. It will inform many other planning efforts such as plans relating to infrastructure projects (green infrastructure or otherwise), the County of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Plan, the County of Santa Clara Disaster Recovery Framework (currently in draft), Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Section 17: Mitigation Strategy 447
and the Office of Emergency Management Strategic Visioning Plan. Additionally, all other County plans that require a review of hazards and vulnerability will be informed by the MJHMP. Including a broad range of internal partners helps ensure the planning partners that participated in this plan update will be able to carry over knowledge of this plan and its actions into other planning mechanisms. Additional information on how each plan participants will integrate this plan into other planning mechanisms is included in Volume II.

Some action items do not need to be implemented through regulation. Instead, these i tems can be implemented through the creation of new educational programs, continued interagency coordination, or improved public participation. As information becomes available from other planning mechanisms that can enhance this plan, that information will be incorporated via the update process.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-1
Appendix A: Public Engagement Results
Public Survey Results
A 35-question survey was available to the public for seven weeks, from April 4–May 19, 2023. The survey results helped the Planning Team learn how the public viewed their risks and vulnerabilities to the hazards they felt could occur in the OA along with their viewpoint on impacts from climate change.

With this survey, the MJHMP planning process better supported the viewpoints and concerns of the public.

Figure 79: Sample of Public Survey Advertisement
The MJHMP public survey received 588 responses. There were 576 responses to the English survey, ten (10) responses to the Chinese survey, and two (2) responses to the Spanish survey.

The survey asked participants to pick a statement that best described their level of concern for each hazard. These levels of concern include:
• Not Concerned
• Somewhat Concerned
• Very Concerned
• Not Sure – Not Enough Information
The survey results are provided in the following tables.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-2
Table 140: Survey Results Level of Hazard Concern
Hazard Very Concerned Somewhat
Concerned Not Concerned Not Sure/Needs
More Information
Drought 355 180 45 6
Earthquake 296 245 38 4
Thunderstorms 29 152 268 34
Flood 85 268 200 30
Dam/Levee
Failure
44 160 316 62
Terrorism 67 209 248 58
Tsunami 11 48 456 70
Extreme
Heat/Cold
161 234 170 19
Hazardous
Materials
69 252 218 44
Atmospheric
River
148 264 149 24
Smoke/ Air
Quality
304 193 73 14
Weapons of
Mass
Destruction
73 146 291 74
Wildfire 208 217 138 20
Landslide 54 202 284 43
Tornadoes 11 46 458 69
Windstorms 110 279 172 21
Pandemics 162 275 129 18
Space
Weather/Other
25 90 319 149

Table 141: Level of Concern for Climate Change Impacts
Climate Effect Very
Concerned
Somewhat
Concerned Not Concerned Not Sure/Needs
More Information
Sea Level Rise 120 260 173 2
Increased Severity of
Hazard Events
227 229 99 0
Hotter Temperatures 285 201 83 1
Damage to the
Environment
310 175 84 1
Human Health Issues 227 247 93 0
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-3
Climate Effect Very
Concerned
Somewhat
Concerned Not Concerned Not Sure/Needs
More Information
Increased Frequency of
Hazard Events
232 231 92 0
Decreased Water
Resources
392 147 37 2
Damage to Structures Not
Built for Climate Change
232 216 108 1
Harm to Food Production 224 239 97 2
Decreased Outdoor
Worker Productivity
109 264 173 2
Effect on Vulnerable
Populations
245 194 112 1

Table 142: Types of Stakeholders Represented
Group Represented Response (%)
Academia 6.4
Community Based Organizations 15.6
Special District 1.7
Neighboring Community 6.2
Healthcare Agency 2.1
Faith Based Organization 8.3
Private Organization 8.3
Private Utility 0.3

Table 143 lists comments received from the public survey and how this input that was taken into account during the plan update. Comments that didn’t relate to the hazard mitigation plan or were not a suggestion were not included.

Table 143: Public Comments
Public Comment Response
Our traditional methods for planning and
preparation cannot keep pace with the changing
natural hazard landscape. The current planning
cycles are simply too slow.

The Plan Maintenance Strategy in this plan
update emphasizes the need for more
engagement and timely update to information as
appropriate.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-4
Public Comment Response
I like the hazard maps. Nice to know I'm not in a
tsunami zone but was surprised that part of the
Baylands is in a tsunami zone - and yet proposals
to build homes and businesses quite close to the
bay keep coming. We should be building near 280
not near the SF Bay. I was shocked Saltworks on
an average of 1 foot of elevation in Redwood City
was even considered. I think there are big projects
scheduled for Brisbane and some in the East Bay
too. I have not seen any documentation of the
risks of sea rise affecting Facebook or Google or
NASA building very close to the bay. How can we
overcome the lure of building on the cheapest
land when that land is cheaper because of
hazards?
This plan includes additional information on the
Tsunami hazard which was not previously
profiled. This question is too broad for this plan
update to address but reflects a real concern for
the OA.

Please keep the urban forest a priority and please
push back when the state wants us to increase
our population. We do not have the natural water
for it.

Changes in development and planning for
hazards including drought which includes water
shortage is addressed in this plan.

Reduce flood risks and obvious fire risks.

Mitigation of flood risks from San Franciscquito
Creek should be immediately accelerated as
many are at known risk from this; homeowners
and businesses should be educated and
encouraged to reduce dry brush/fire risks,
including trimming dry trees/foliage from growing
up to affect such things as electrical lines. Code
enforcement should be stronger since we all see
dead wood, etc. close to and eventually affecting
power lines. Utilities should be required to
evaluate and remedy these when they pose a risk.

Actions to reduce flood and fire risk are included
in this plan.

More work needs to be done with clearing fallen
trees in creek and streams.

While not strictly speaking mitigation, this is an
ongoing theme of public feedback. Therefore,
multiple jurisdictions have in progress work
towards debris management plans, and others
selected to include actions related to debris.

As a CERT in Los Gatos, we practice responding
to large scale earthquakes. For the community,
not just my property, the risk of wildfire, landslide,
flooding, dam release, gas leaks is has high
probabilities in specific areas. So the survey
should not be confined to an individual’s property
alone. My property is near, but not on,
landslide/flooding/wildfire zones.

This survey was open to all. Individuals who live
near, but not in, high risk areas are welcome to
participate in future hazard mitigation
opportunities as relevant.

There is so little help for disabled people, and
most of it is useless in practice.

Equity in mitigation is an important concept. This
is integrated into the County and its stakeholders
approach to this plan update, and will be
something discussed in the future as well.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-5
Public Comment Response
In Louisiana, parishes have designated hurricane
evacuation routes. These are communicated to
the public and signs are posted along the routes
that say "Hurricane Evacuation Route." Should
Santa Clara County consider publishing
evacuation routes? Maybe it's no longer
necessary since we have Apple Maps. But one
would think the county should optimize the routes
and assign certain routes to certain
neighborhoods to minimize the chaos during
evacuations. For example, in New Orleans, they
convert all Interstate 10 lanes to westbound only
during evacuations to get twice the traffic flow out
of the city. Would something like this ever be
needed here?
Evacuation routes were not profiled as a part of
this plan update. However, other plans currently
be updated including the countywide Community
Wildfire Protection Plan will evaluate the current
evacuation route situation.

People are not well-informed about hazards in
their area and what can be done about it,
Multiple public education and outreach actions
were included as a part of the 2023 action items
listed in this plan in attempt to promote public
awareness of the risks to the OA and what can be
done about it, including mitigation.

I wish there had been a specific mention of soft-
story earthquake hazards in 2-story apartments
built in the 1950s–1970s. There are dozens, if not
hundreds, of these in Mountain View alone. There
doesn't seem to be much progress on addressing
this well-known hazard. I also wish there had
been a way to share my level of concern about
large-scale environmental "tipping points" that
might lead to runaway rises in methane and
carbon dioxide. I am highly concerned about
them!
This is noted as a Jurisdiction-Specific
Vulnerability.

I would like to be involved. Gilroy is not well
represented or serviced in SCCo.

Gilroy was an active participate in this plan update
and because of this, will be eligible for future
mitigation funding opportunities. All are welcome
to participate in future plan maintenance and
implementation initiatives. Further information can
be found on Santa Clara County’s website.

How are you going to prioritize among all of the
issues and needs?
The planning teams prioritized each action in
accordance with the criteria listed in this plan.

Solutions should not be forced on residents,
rather provide them with a variety of options or
alternatives to pick from. Everyone wants the best
for the environment and wants to be safe, but no
one wants to be dictated to on exactly how, OR,
have their options taken away and left with only
one method.

The majority of hazard mitigation actions are
voluntary, not mandatory, initiatives. Multiple
jurisdictions selected additional public education
and outreach actions to take in order to share with
residents their options for conducting hazard
mitigation.

I believe everyone in coastal California should be
required to have earthquake insurance.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-6
Public Comment Response
Building new housing needs to have support
infrastructure such as roads so people can
escape their neighborhoods in emergencies and
not be trapped due to traffic.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update
however, other current planning initiatives are
evaluating evacuation routes.

I’m concerned about the lack of communication
abilities when the cell phone towers are down.

Power failure was discussed during the planning
meetings as well. A variety of related mitigation
activities were identified in the plan participant’s
lists of mitigation actions.

Traffic hazards, such as the dangerous
southbound 101 entrance from Charleston should
be closed and replaced by one from San Antonio
Road with an auxiliary lane connecting to the off-
ramp at Rengstorff.

Traffic incidents were not profiled in this plan
update as it focused on natural hazards in
accordance with FEMA local mitigation planning
guidance. However, it may be considered in future
updates.

Stronger support and funding are needed Mitigation is an ongoing process. Gathering support and funding for projects are common
challenges. Additional actions and funding
capabilities that could be enhanced to support this
goal are included in the list of 2023 actions.

The most concerning time for us was the 2020
wildfires that caused awful smoke throughout our
area.

Wildfire smoke was also a concern of the Core
Planning Team. It was considered important to
address this in this plan update, particularly given
recent events. Wildfire smoke was addressed
under the “Wildfire” hazard in this plan update.

Ban fires in the Santa Clara Valley. The smoke
enters my home and causes breathing problems.

The entire neighborhood is affected when people
hold bonfires.

This recommendation was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update.

Wildfires were considered the primary source of
concern for smoke. Smoke from wildfires was
addressed in this plan update.

Despite heavy rains, still need to focus on future
drought conditions. Also, future pandemics. Would
anticipate domestic infrastructure also represent
increasing targets for domestic terrorism
Mitigation actions were identified for both
inclement weather and drought as a part of this
plan update. Terrorism was not profiled as this
plan update focused on natural hazards in
accordance with FEMA local mitigation planning
guidance. However, it may be considered in future
updates.

Never hear of any task force I can join Multiple plan participants selected additional public education and outreach as a part of their
mitigation actions. Future opportunities to
participate will be advertised publicly. All are
encouraged to review the Santa Clara County
website for additional information.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-7
Public Comment Response
There was no mention of pesticides/herbicides
esp. from professional gardeners. Also air
pollution from living near freeways and greatly
increased population driving in in SC Valley in
recent years. Affordable access to organic food
(vs. genetically modified and sprayed with
pesticides/herbicides). I've had a lot of ground
settling -- 1 foot drop since the Loma Prieta EQ in
1989, and with cold and wet weather recently
more ground settling and my front door latch
would hold the door closed so had to get a barn
latch put in -- lots of expansion and contraction of
house and building materials. ... Way too much
population increase in Silicon Valley, very
concerned about future resources, availability for
everyone, and costing more and getting less.

Food resources were not considered as a part of
this hazard mitigation update.

Offer inexpensive yet good coverage insurance The recommendation was considered beyond the scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

I hope some action is taken to secure Saratoga
Heights area where landslides happened in 80's
and now we see similar issues causing many
issues for residents, and all public utilities
providers like PG&E, SJ Water and
Cupertino/West Valley Sanitation District.

An action item was added by the City of Saratoga
to stabilize Saratoga Heights Drive to reduce the
possibility of landslide, erosion, and roadway
obstruction.

I would like to see more community projects that
encourage people to get involved in environment
preservation.

Noted.

Great job on forming this working group. I’m
hoping the working group incorporates all different
age/sex/race/disability groups, Including the
young, teens and differently abled folks. Telling
folks to get insurance, only solves the end result…
driving preemptive solutions would be more
effective. E.g. employing more environmental
solution minded folks and involving ALL in
discussions would be other suggestions.

The planning process was open to all. Further
public outreach and education as well as plan
maintenance opportunities can be targeted toward
a broad range of stakeholders.

The best thing you can do for county residents is
repave our roads and add drainage points.

The County included an action item on identifying
potential water drainage mitigation projects.

Resources need to be allocated toward hazards
affecting renters. The housing stock in SCC is old;
the majority of landlords appear reluctant to
update their properties to mitigate the hazards
that routinely impact renters (extreme heat/cold
events) or would we catastrophic if they occurred
(severe earthquake).

Multiple plan participants selected additional
public education and outreach initiatives as a part
of their mitigation actions. Renters are one group
that may need additional outreach to understand
their options.

Require use of EcoAtlas.org database of
headwater streams for all hillside community
planning. Require composite mapping of
landslides from property geotech reports in hillside
communities.

This suggestion was not included at this time.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-8
Public Comment Response
Please include multilingual community forums.

Please include changing street light post bulbs,
my community has very dim lightbulbs and some
streets are not safely lit.

Multilingual public education and outreach
opportunities was noted as a capability that could
be expanded.

Would like to see more communities build up
many more CERTs since we will need to rely on
each other during a disaster
CERTs were considered a capability of multiple
participating jurisdictions. Multiple plan
participants included mitigation actions regarding
support CERTs.

Thanks you for what you are doing -- and
especially for publicizing this in various
languages. These issues affect all of us in Santa
Clara County, and it's so important that the
information be disseminated in languages besides
English.

The Core Planning Team agreed. In addition to
the multilingual engagement conducted during this
plan update process, multilingual public education
and outreach opportunities was noted as a
capability that could be expanded. Multiple plan
participants highlighted public education and
outreach as a part of their mitigation actions.

Targeted marketing to neighborhoods and level
risks. Often, news and warnings are not relevant
to all neighborhoods.

Targeted outreach can be a great way to get
relevant information into the hands of the people
who need it the most. Multiple plan participants
selected to include additional public education and
outreach efforts as a part of their mitigation
actions.

We need to slow or stop growth due to traffic
congestion and the greater problems that creates
in an emergency, and due to the overbuilding
adding risk to more people, and stop building tall
buildings on corners of major intersections.

Traffic incidents were not profiled as a hazard in
this plan update as this plan focused on natural
hazards in accordance with FEMA local mitigation
planning guidance however, it could be
considered in future updates.

A lot of the rules have changed since the late
1970s early 1980 when I purchased my home in
San Jose. I have not heard of any Hazard
Mitigation being done in my area of San Jose.

A discussion of San Jose’s previous mitigation
action items and mitigation success stories is
included in the City’s annex in Volume II.

Trees offer significant protection against heat and
wind as well as soil moisture retention but the city
of San Jose has official policies which deforest the
city by burdening low-income residents with the
cost of maintaining trees and adjacent utility
infrastructure, a significant cost risk which
average households in the East Side and
downtown cannot bear.

This was not identified by the City as a concern
during their capability assessment or actions.

However, the city is currently developing other
environmental-focused plans which may consider
this point further.

I am very concerned about the environment of
Santa Clara County and the whole world. I would
like to learn more and be an advocate for change.

I would be happy to do some community outreach
to help reduce the plastic use in the valley and to
see more trees planted and to see the trees near
power lines and trees at risk of falling are pruned
for safety.

All are encouraged to become involved in future
plan maintenance and implementation
opportunities. Please refer to the Santa Clara
County website for more information.

Ensure that there is informed public review of
plan.

The public was provided a two-week opportunity
to review the plan and specific representatives of
community-based organizations were invited to
review it in additional to planning stakeholders.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-9
Public Comment Response
We need to keep water in Anderson to mitigate
fire risk and wildlife damage/death. Mitigation for
possible earthquake shouldn’t trump fire dangers
This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update
however it is noted.

Where are hazardous materials in my community
located? What are the disaster plans for my
community?
These are good questions which reflect the need
for additional public education and outreach.

Multiple plan participants selected these kinds of
actions in their action plan.

I’d like to see power and utility lines go
underground.

Multiple plan participants are actively working on
this or selected to include it as an action item.

From a wildland fire hazard perspective, all
communities south of Los Gatos served by the
Highway 17 corridor can only be honestly
described as death traps. A heavy emphasis on
evacuation, including fuels reductions along major
public roads, is the only way to prevent significant
loss of life. Mitigations would include adequate
defensible space, planned developments with
emergency exits, additional fire agency coverage,
a volunteer fire program for the Santa Clara side
as Santa Cruz side has, and last but not least,
cooperation with certain public and private
landowners who either do not care about or do not
have the funding to address significant wildfire
and fuel hazards. ESPECIALLY SAN JOSE
WATER COMPANY.

All of these types of mitigation measures have
been evaluated. Multiple plan participants listed
similar actions in their action plans. San Jose
Water was identified as a potential planning
partner however, they did not participate in this
plan update.

Fire risks are still extremely real. Homeowners
Insurance is tied to this risk. Defensible space is
the key. It’s neither fun or enjoyable work, but it’s
essential to community safety.

Defensible space is listed as a mitigation action
item for multiple plan participants.

You should include traffic planning as a possible
mitigation measure. With many communities
narrowing roadways to slow traffic, I'm concerned
that if people need to be moved from one area to
another, what was once a possible escape
corridor that could handle more traffic, has greatly
reduced the traffic flow capacity. The city has
installed permanent features that narrow the
roadway to a single lane in each direction with no
option to expand the flow if needed for an
evacuation.

This hazard mitigation plan focused on natural
hazards in accordance with FEMA local mitigation
planning guidance, but this can be reevaluated in
future updates.

Using social media to spread the word has
drawbacks — it can exclude many from
marginalized communities. Please be sure to
broaden your messaging beyond the suburban
upper-middle class.

Multiple in-person meetings were conducted as a
part of this plan update. Further, multiple plan
participants selected additional public education
and outreach as a part of their mitigation actions
moving forward.

Allow us to buy reasonably priced earthquake
insurance covering less than total destruction.

Allow us to remove trees next to houses for fire
safety even when they are healthy.

These suggestions were considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but
are noted.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-10
Public Comment Response
Don’t let this winter’s record rainfall make you
forget that we live in a drought zone!
This hazard mitigation plan update focused on all
hazards, including both Heavy rain, heavy winds,
extreme temperatures and drought.
(1) Stanford climate scientist, Noah Diffenbaugh,
published peer-reviewed research showing that
we will be subject more frequently and regularly to
both extreme dry spells (leading to wildfires and
water shortages) and extreme wind & rain
patterns (leading to flooding, landslides, and
power outages), all lasting longer periods. We
need to plan for our critical infrastructure (i.e.
electricity and medical services) to sustain this
kind of situations.
(2) We need to be ready for a devastating
earthquake hitting in a bitter and rainy winter.

The Hazard Mitigation Plan is designed to help
communities plan to reduce risk to critical
infrastructure, including community lifelines. Both
climate change and cascading impacts are
considered throughout this plan update.

Fire evacuation in some parts of my community
(Los Altos Hills) will be severely hampered by
one-lane roads and bottlenecks (e.g., Moody
Road by Foothill College) if traffic is not actively
controlled (by a human) to keep vehicles moving.

Specifically, if traffic lights are not deactivated (or set to blink yellow), they alone will create a
massive logjam.

The evaluation of specific evacuation routes was
not a part of the scope of this plan update
however, other current planning processes around
the County are looking into evacuation routes.

Stop building more high density homes in a area
that has regular droughts, limiting people helps w
low supplies. Stop building in areas anyone w
common sense knows could be dangerous, like
below Anderson Dam during the last 25 years
when it was known to be not earthquake safe. The
life's that would have been loss are huge. Areas in
SJ that had landslides in the 1960's should never
be built on yet many are. See what I mean???
Look at how much concrete covers our land,
backyards, water tables cannot be replenished
like that. Common sense folks!!!!
This comment is considered beyond the scope of
this hazard mitigation plan however, integrating
the risk and changes in development information
listed in this plan into future planning
mechanisms, permitting, and development
decisions may lead to the result requested.

Please include local CERT members in you
group. I am currently work in quality and I am very
good at spotting potential hazards and developing
scenarios to fix the issues. SJ CERT program
manager can vouch for me & person in charge of
CERT, my instructor at Santa Clara County Fire
also can. My wife and I are always prepared,
100% all the time!
Stakeholders including CERT members were
invited to planning meetings. All were welcome to
attend the public meetings and provide feedback
on the plan during the review process. All are
welcome to participate in future plan maintenance
and implementation opportunities. More
information will be made available on the Santa
Clara County website.

We need to retrofit buildings in which housing is
built on top of garage or parking, due to increase
risk of collapse in an earthquake.

Mitigation includes retrofitting buildings at risk
from collapse during an earthquake. Multiple plan
participants listed seismic retrofitting as a part of
their mitigation actions.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-11
Public Comment Response
Please consider making a plan for an
electromagnetic pulse or a coronal mass ejection.

Also, i lost power 3 times in the last 2 years due to
pg&e’s equipment failure. Each of these times
was for 30 hours or more. Twice during a
heatwave. Last summer’s power outage cause me
heat exhaustion, with confusion and rapid heart
rate. It was 113 degrees in my neighborhood and
no power. This is so dangerous and I fear it will
happen again, it seems pg&e temporarily fixes the
problem but under strain the equipment breaks
again when we need it most.

Mitigation measures are important for the private
sector to consider as well. PG&E participated as a
stakeholder in this hazard mitigation plan but did
not develop specific actions as a participating
jurisdiction.

Educate hillside communities on the CA aquatic
resource inventory (EcoAtlas.org) by SFEI -
prohibit development near these small streams for
public safety. Compile complete map of all minor
and major landslide areas - most hillside
developments require GeoTech reports which
map these slides but a complete county-wide map
is not publicly available
These actions were not selected at this time.

Additional landslide mapping is available in
Volume II for each participating jurisdiction.

I have questions, how will all of this be funded?
Who pays?
Potential funding sources are listed in this plan
update for each action.

Thank you for doing this. The county needs to
consider a more proactive central role in disaster
planning that umbrellas the cities.

The County is actively involved in supporting
emergency management and hazard mitigation
efforts. The engagement between jurisdictions
and stakeholders that was conducted for this plan
update is described above as well as in each
annex.

Freeway exit at Arastradero from 280 North is
overgrown with weeds and has flammable debris
build-up. The area needs annual weeds/tree
debris mitigation, but this to my knowledge has
never been done. Fire from cigarettes or ignition
from other sources could spread quickly up hill
and into the surrounding fields and community.

Please attend to this area annually.

A related action was included in the community
where this comment came from.

Manage the water supply to homes effectively.

Invest in rainwater harvesting mechanisms at the
household level.

Multiple plan participants noted their support for
rainwater collection during their capability
assessment. Further education and outreach on
this topic could help residents implement this on a
household level. Multiple plan participants
indicated their support for additional public
education and outreach in their mitigation actions.

Hazmat releases are also concerning. This plan focused on natural hazards in accordance with FEMA local hazard mitigation
planning guidance however, this comment is
noted and can be evaluated during future
updates.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-12
Public Comment Response
Has the group done a mapping assessment to
understand the number and location of
multijurisdictional areas? We live in SCC, but 4
houses up and down is Los Altos. Across the
street is Los Altos Hills. We have several hazard
issues that need coordination.

Coordination is one of the main goals of the
multijurisdictional hazard mitigation planning
process. This plan update provided the
opportunity to map and assess risk across
jurisdictions in Santa Clara County as well as
bring partners together. Future opportunities for
plan maintenance and the next plan update are
intended to continue to promote coordination.

Make users pay to put power and water in the
urban forest interface if they want to live there.

Not a government or PGE function.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

I am interested in boosting the flood control
around Palo Alto. My neighborhood association,
AMNA, has discussed it.

All are welcome to participate in future plan
maintenance and implantation opportunities.

Further information will be able on the Santa Clara
County website. Ideas for how to reduce flood risk
in Palo Alto are also listed in this plan update.

We could incorporate this hazard mitigation plan
into all other plans for the future of our community
to ensure that hazard mitigation is the standard
and not the bare minimum.

Future plan integration is a goal of all the plan
participants.

We were able to afford putting in some things like
a Big watertank, propane generator, solar cells for
the sole purpose of mobile electricity, Big bus
batteries to store it, etc. I wish there were small
kiosks where residents could go that they were
aware of--in plain sight, but not commonly
operational--for electricity and water (a tank that
was always filled, and then refilled during an
emergency, as needed). It could hand out masks,
tests, do shots, etc. This current system of trying
to figure out your insurance, etc, was too much.

We could use a single site that was passed
everyday by people, a 30-minute walk from
people during an emergency.

This recommendation was considered outside the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

How to protect communities in Santa Clara
County?
This plan addresses multiple actions and
alternatives which can help reduce risk from the
hazards Santa Clara County faces.

Need the City of Santa Clara to hold public
hearings on these topics!
Residents of the City of Santa Clara were
welcome to attend two virtual and five in-person
meetings on this plan update. Residents are
encouraged to keep in touch with the city via
social media for future opportunities.
consider incentive programs for personal
emergency preparedness: rebates on expenses.

This suggestion was considered beyond the
scope of this hazard mitigation plan update but is
noted.

As an apartment renter, unclear what I can do or
what I should ask for/about wrt(sic) hazard
mitigation.

Renters often need additional information to
understand their options. Multiple plan participants
included public education and outreach initiatives
as a part of their mitigation actions.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-13
Public Comment Response
Please create a plan and educate the community. Multiple plan participants included public education and outreach initiatives as a part of
their mitigation actions.

We are on a ridge, hence no personal concern
related to flood or dam failure. Built home in 1980.

Structure and property did just fine in Loma Prieta
quake so we feel very fortunate. Extremely
concerned about potential for wildfire issues
however. No problem with insurance so far, but
have intentionally avoided discussing the issue
with our long-standing provider. New buyers in our
neighborhood have been consistently turned
down for insurance due to fire hazard. I am
president of our small (20 properties) HOA and
would welcome being a conduit for any relevant
information. Many thanks to whoever is reading
this for all that you are doing for our county-wide
community!
All are welcome to participate in future plan
maintenance and implementation opportunities,
including HOAs. Further information will be
available on the Santa Clara County website.

Good Job on the survey. I think the most
important hazard is fire as we live in a valley
surrounded by hillsides. Sea Rise might be next
(flooding in Sunnyvale all the way to El Camino?)
and then earthquakes. I think more regular people
should be trained in emergency preparedness.

Thanks again for the opportunity to participate in
the survey.

All of the hazards listed are profiled in this hazard
mitigation plan update. Additional public education
and outreach initiatives were selected as part of
multiple plan participants’ mitigation actions.

Fire Hazard risk reporting system should be
available and a well-known like 911
The area we live in Cupertino has very high risk of
Fire Hazard due to poor maintenance of the open
area. But I still have not found an effective
authority to contact after many years
Issues like knowing who to contact can be
resolved through additional education and
outreach. Multiple plan participants included
additional public education and outreach activities
as a part of their mitigation actions.

Please get Caltrans and the State to clear the
overgrown and dead foliage on Highway 9
(Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd.) It's the only wildfire
evacuation route for my house and many others.

This activity was considered beyond the scope of
this hazard mitigation plan update but is noted.

I think it is time to re-implement natural disaster
and civil defense training & preparedness for
communities. Evacuation plans, how to shelter-in-
place, community/neighborhood-based support
groups. Better to be prepared than to panic.

Multiple plan participants included additional
public education and outreach activities as a part
of their mitigation actions.

It is vitally important to actively go into the
community and send specialists to observe survey
storm and any disaster damages to private
property, non-county maintained roads and
infrastructures, wells, etc. in unincorporated areas
of County-- so to NOT FAIL in acquiring
constituents needed relief, and Hazard Mitigation
funding for resilience planning for all Disasters,
including Wildfire.

The County actively supports obtaining Hazard
Mitigation funding and identified this as a
capability that can be increased this planning
cycle.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-14
Public Meeting Summary
A total of seven public meetings, two virtual and five in-person, were held across the OA. During these meetings, members of the public were surveyed in-person, invited to take the digital MJHMP survey, and had the opportunity to discuss their hazard-related concerns. The results helped the plan participants including the County learn about the public’s interests, hazard impacts, and awareness of their risks.

Figure 80: Sample Public Feedback on Hazard Impacts - Gilroy Meeting

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-15

Figure 81: Sample Public Feedback on Hazard Impacts - Campbell Meeting

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-16

Figure 82: Sample In-Person Feedback Option - Gilroy Meeting

Table 144: General Feedback Received
Public Feedback
Wind is a real concern. Falling trees and powerlines are scary to deal with.

Residents are not universally affected by flooding.

Needs to be planning for evacuation on non-County maintained roads. How many residents are in Lexington Hills? No one is paying attention or communicating what is going on in these areas.

PG&E doesn’t care about their mess.

Power is slow to come back on in current event. (Note: There was a heat wave at the time of this meeting)
“Priorities” shift seasonally, but they are all important.

Living with wildfires is a new reality for us. People are working outside when the air is unbreathable.

Indoor workers work without money for air filtration systems. Not just need for cool centers, but filtration.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-17
Public Feedback
Drought – a community well system is expensive. This is another hazard that is seasonal. Need better system for capturing stormwater runoff. Need more education and funding. Need help installing residential and community systems.

San Jose Water increasing rates, doing a lot of work right now Flooding – takes a long time to recover from losses, get back to pre-disaster state. Roads washing out.

Flooding is an additional insurance, many areas didn’t know it was something they needed.

Extreme heat events happening more frequently and closer together than they use to. (“Once in 25 year rainfall” is happening five times per month)
Weekly newsletters/newspapers to spread information
Sirens in Gilroy, used them in ’98, haven’t used recently to signify floods. Five minutes can make a big difference as a house floods.

Monterey County uses Alert/Sheriff system all the time – has evacuation warning and fire maps. Make you respond that they’ve reached out.

How much time is enough time to evacuate and prepare? Depends on the event. Storms vs fire vs drought have really different timescale.

Averages don’t always capture the real situation on the ground – also look at min and max.

Why are these outreach meetings not also being sent out as press release to local news media for general circulation. Weekly newspapers service each of the different areas of the County unincorporated areas: make a requirement for public notice? County failed to designate evacuation route planning since 2009 CWPP recommendations.

Subdivisions of 30+ homes share a single egress route.

Participants expressed some frustration that the County does not engage with the South County communities enough.

Many questions about how the County is letting people in general know about hazards, specifically flood zones and flood risks, and how are the County is specifically reaching out to farm worker camps.

A reminder that mailing the property owners (directly or through water bill, etc) does not always provide information to renters or temporary residents.

One question about noxious fumes from a sewage plant impacting a neighborhood.

Advance Earthquake warning system should be in place.

Flood area warning system for the public within the areas that are known to flood regularly.

Air quality and evacuation for farm workers. The recent fires showed that the farm workers were not given notices for evacuations or poor air quality like the homeowners in the new housing tracks.

A few key takeaways from this public feedback was how concerned the public is with their risk from the hazards the OA face. Climate-change related changes in hazard frequency and severity is already being felt across the OA. This puts more people in harm’s way from hazards they were not aware they would have to face. Further impacts are discussed throughout the hazard profiles and jurisdictional -specific vulnerabilities are highlighted in Volume II of this plan.

Further, there is significant need for additional public education and outreach. The public may be aware of some hazards, but not all risk is equal. Outreach to both homeowners and renters is important. Mitigation measures such as air filtration are also needed not only for public infrastructure, but residential and private sector structures as well. Additional public education and outreach actions are identified in Volume II of this plan.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-18
Listening Section Summaries

Summary

Safety Element/MJHMP Update
Listening Session # 1: CARAS
December 15, 2022 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Facilitators: Sam Gutierrez, Principal Planner, County of Santa Clara Location: CARAS, Gilroy, CA

The Listening Session began with a poll to help the County better understand community demographics and experiences. As illustrated in Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near? A majority of residents live in or near Gilroy.

Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near?

As illustrated in Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact, participants have experienced a broad range of hazardous events with Extreme Heat the primary event. Drought, wildfire + smoke, and Q1: What City Do You Live In/Near?
Watsonville
Morgan Hill
11%
4%
Milpitas
4%
Gilroy Milpitas Morgan Hill Watsonville
Gilroy
81%
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-19
flooding were experienced by 14 percent of participants. 82 percent of all participants have experienced a hazardous event that has impacted their life or home in the past 5 years.

Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact

Approximately 4 out of 5 participants do not have a home emergency preparedness kit or supplies to support their household in the event of an emergency.

Figure 3. Emergency Preparedness Supplies

Finally, only 15 percent of participants were aware of County Services or Programs to support them prepare or respond to a hazardous event as illustrated in in Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

Q2: In the Past 5 Years, What Hazardous Event Has
Had the Greatest Impact on Your Life/Home?
Other
4%
None of the Above
18%
Earthquake +
Landslide
8%

Flooding
12%
Extreme Heat
Flooding
Other
Drought
Wildfire + Smoke
Earthquake + Landslide None of the Above
Wildfire + Smoke
14%
Drought
12%
Extreme Heat
32%
Q3: Do You Have Emergency Preparedness
Supplies?
Partial
7%
Yes
15%
No
78%
Yes No Partial
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-20
Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

County staff facilitated a interactive session where participants could respond to questions posted on whiteboards. The following are their responses.

1. What are your primary hazards of concern and why?

Q4: Are You Aware of County Services and
Programs?
Unsure
15%

No
70%
Yes No Unsure
Yes
15%
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-21

1. Extreme Heat / Calorextremo
a. I do not have air conditioning in my home / No tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa 6 b. I have air conditioning in my home, but cannot afford to run it during all heat events / Tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa, pero no puedo costearlo durante eventos de calor extremo 8 c. I work outdoors / Trabajoal airelibre 0
d. I have a family member or friends that work outdoors / Tengo un familiaro amigos que trabajan al aire libre
7 e. No close access to a cooling facility such as a park, library, or community center / Las instalacionesdel centrode enfriamiento, comoparques, bibliotecaso centroscomunitarios, no se encuentrancercade mí
2 f. There are cooling facilities such as a park, library, or community center in my community, but I don’t have physical access or do not feel safe going. / Instalaciones de centros de enfriamiento, como un parque, bibliotecas o centros comunitarios en mi comunidad, pero no puedo viajar allí debido al acceso físico o problemas de seguridad
2 2. Drought / Sequía
a. Plants are dying / Las plantas se están poniendo marrones y/o muriendo 3 b. Financial hardship of increased water cost / El aumento de los costos del agua es un desafío para mí
6 c. Water restrictions affect my health and well-being / Las restricciones de agua afectan mi salud y bienestar
3 Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-22
d. I work in agriculture or a related and drought has led to less work / Trabajo en el sector agrícola y la sequía ha provocado menos trabajo
5 3. Wildfire + Smoke / Incendioforestal+ Humo
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 6 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 5 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra incendios para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
6 d. I am sensitive to smoke and pollution / Soy sensible al humo y la contaminación del aire 4 e. I have a family member or friends that are sensitive to smoke and pollution / Tengo un familiaro amigos que son sensibles al humo y la contaminación del aire 4 f. Fear of not being able to escape wildfire / Miedo a no poder escapar de un incendio forestal 5 g. Don’t have information where to go during event of a wildfire evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por incendio forestall
5 4. Flooding / Inundación
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 10 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 6 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra inundaciones para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
6 d. Fear of not being able to escape a flood / / Miedo a no poder escapar de una inundación 4 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of a flooding evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por inundación
6 5. Earthquake+ Landslide / Terremoto+ Deslizamientode tierra a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 10 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 8 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra terremotos para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
5 d. Fear of not being able to escape landslide / No sé si los peligros de deslizamientos de tierra son una preocupación para mi comunidad
5 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of an earthquake evacuation / No sabe qué hacer o adónde ir después de un terremoto
9 Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-23

2. Which of the following applies to your household? Check all that apply.

a. My household can easily cover the cost of housing. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente el costo de la vivienda.
1 b. My household can easily cover other regular expenses like transportation, food, and healthcare. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente otros gastos regulares como transporte, comida y atención médica. 1 c. My household has spent more than $100 in the past year on repairing damages caused by the environment or reducing potential impacts. / Mi hogar ha gastado más de $100 el año pasado en reparar daños causados por peligros o reducir problemas futuros. 4 d. We have delayed repairs we want to do to our home (like roof, windows, mold) because of cost. / Hemos retrasado las reparaciones que queremos hacer en nuestra casa (como el techo, las ventanas, el moho) debido al costo.
5 e. We do not have or need flood insurance. / No tenemos seguro contra inundaciones. 5 f. We do not have earthquake insurance. / No tenemossegurocontra terremotos. 9 g. If my household faced a $400 emergency expense, we would not be able to immediately pay for it in cash. / Si mi hogar enfrentara un gasto de emergencia de $400, no podríamos pagarlo inmediatamente en efectivo.
10 h. In order to pay a $400 emergency expense, my household would have to pay with a credit card or borrow the money. / Para pagar un gasto de emergencia de $400, mi hogar tendría que pagar con una tarjeta de crédito o pedir prestado el dinero.
9 i. Other / Otro

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-24

3. What information or materials would be helpful to make you feel safer in future hazardous events? What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?

What information or materials would be helpful to make you feel safer in future hazardous events?
a. Emergency alerts / Alertasde emergencia 7
b. Know evacuation routes / Conoce las rutas de evacuación 7 c. Items to keep in an emergency preparedness kit / Artículos para tener en un kit de preparación para emergencias
5 d. What to do with pets / Que hacer con las mascotas 4 e. Where are shelters or temporary cooling centers / Dondese ubican albergueso centros de enfriamiento temporal
5 What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?
a. Phone app that provides alerts / Aplicación de teléfono que proporciona alertas 3 b. Information about financial resources or services to support preparedness / Información sobre recursos financieros o servicios para apoyar la preparación 2 c. Written information provided in my language spoken / Información escrita proporcionada en mi idioma hablado
2 d. The ability to call someone at the County for support in my language / La capacidad de llamar 2

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-25
aalguien en el condado para obtener apoyo en mi idioma

5. Which of the following would you prioritize for neighborhood improvements?

a. Improved transit infrastructure (bus stops, signs, benches) / Infraestructurade tránsitomejorada(paradasde autobús, letreros, bancos)
8 b. Safer biking routes / Rutasciclistasmásseguras 2
c. Pedestrian safety (sidewalks, crosswalks, speed bumps) / Rutas peatonales más seguras (aceras, cruces peatonales, badenes)
4 d. Improved water supply (safe drinking, firefighting) / Mejor suministro de agua (bebida segura, extinción de incendios)
4 e. Flood barriers / Barreras contra inundaciones 2
f. Security cameras for safety and dumping / Cámaras de seguridad para seguridad y vertido 3 g. More or improved parks /Más parqueso mejorados 2
h. Improved roads (potholes) / Carreterasmejoradas(baches) 4 i. Air quality monitoring / Monitoreo de la calidad del aire 2 j. Cool and clean air shelters (community center) / Centrosde enfriamiento/refugiosde airelimpio(centrocomunitario)
0 Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-26

Summary

Safety Element/MJHMP Update
Listening Session # 3: CRC
March 15, 2023 5:30 – 7:00 PM

Facilitators: Sam Gutierrez, Principal Planner, County of Santa Clara Location:

Campbell Community Center, Campbell, CA

The Listening Session began with a poll to help the County better understand community demographics and experiences. As illustrated in Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near? A majority of residents live in or near Sunnyvale.

Figure 1. What City Do you Live In/Near?

Santa Clara
9%

San Jose
27%
Sunnyvale
46%

Sunnyvale Palo Alto
Palo Alto
9%
Lexington Hills San Jose Santa Clara

As illustrated in Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact, participants have experienced a broad range of hazardous events with Extreme Heat the primary event, followed by Drought. Wildfire + smoke, and flooding were experienced by at least 11 percent of participants. 97 percent of all participants have experienced a hazardous event that has impacted their life or home in the past 5 years.

Lexington Hills
9%
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-27

Figure 2. Hazardous Events with the Greatest Impact
None of the

Earthquake +
Landslide
7%
Other
11%
Above
3%

Extreme Heat
29%

Wildfire +
Smoke
18%

Flooding
11%
Drought
21%
Extreme Heat Drought Flooding
Wildfire + Smoke Earthquake + Landslide Other
None of the Above

Approximately 1/3 of participants do not have a home emergency preparedness kit or supplies to support their household in the event of an emergency as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Emergency Preparedness Supplies

Yes No Partial

Finally, only 46 percent of participants were aware of County Services or Programs to support them prepare or respond to a hazardous event as illustrated in in Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

Yes
18%
Partial
46%
No
36%
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-28

Figure 4. County Services Awareness.

Yes No Unsure

County staff facilitated a interactive session where participants could respond to questions posted on whiteboards.

The following are their responses.

1. What are your primary hazards of concern and why?
Wildfire, severe rainstorms and evacuation planning, eroded roads

1. Extreme Heat / Calorextremo
a. I do not have air conditioning in my home / No tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa 1 b. I have air conditioning in my home, but cannot afford to run it during all heat events / Tengo aire acondicionado en mi casa, pero no puedo costearlo durante eventos de calor extremo 1 c. I work outdoors / Trabajoal airelibre
d. I have a family member or friends that work outdoors / Tengo un familiaro amigos que trabajan al aire libre
1 e. No close access to a cooling facility such as a park, library, or community center / Las instalacionesdel centrode enfriamiento, comoparques, bibliotecaso centroscomunitarios, no se encuentrancercade mí

f. There are cooling facilities such as a park, library, or community center in my community, but I don’t have physical access or do not feel safe going. / Instalaciones de centros de enfriamiento, como un parque, bibliotecas o centros comunitarios en mi comunidad, pero no puedo viajar allí debido al acceso físico o problemas de seguridad

Yes
46%
No
45%
Unsure
9%
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-29

2. Drought / Sequía
a. Plants are dying / Las plantas se están poniendo marrones y/o muriendo 3 b. Financial hardship of increased water cost / El aumento de los costos del agua es un desafío para mí
3 c. Water restrictions affect my health and well-being / Las restricciones de agua afectan mi salud y bienestar
1 d. I work in agriculture or a related and drought has led to less work / Trabajo en el sector agrícola y la sequía ha provocado menos trabajo

3.Wildfire + Smoke / Incendioforestal+ Humo
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 1 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 1 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra incendios para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
1 d. I am sensitive to smoke and pollution / Soy sensible al humo y la contaminación del aire 5 e. I have a family member or friends that are sensitive to smoke and pollution / Tengo un familiaro amigos que son sensibles al humo y la contaminación del aire 5 f. Fear of not being able to escape wildfire / Miedo a no poder escapar de un incendio forestal 2 g. Don’t have information where to go during event of a wildfire evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por incendio forestall
5 4. Flooding / Inundación
a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra inundaciones para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
4 d. Fear of not being able to escape a flood / / Miedo a no poder escapar de una inundación 4 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of a flooding evacuation / No sabe adónde ir durante un evento de evacuación por inundación
2 5. Earthquake+ Landslide / Terremoto+ Deslizamientode tierra a. Injury to myself, family, friends / Lesión a mí mismo, familia, amigos 4 b. Loss of home, car, belongings / Pérdidade casa, coche, pertenencias 3 c. Don’t have insurance to cover my belongings / No tengo seguro contra terremotos para proteger mi propiedad y pertenencias
3 d. Fear of not being able to escape landslide / No sé si los peligros de deslizamientos de tierra son una preocupación para mi comunidad
2 e. Don’t have information where to go during event of an earthquake evacuation / No sabe qué hacer o adónde ir después de un terremoto
3 Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-30

2. Which of the following applies to your household? Check all that apply. a. My household can easily cover the cost of housing. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente el costo de la vivienda.
2 b. My household can easily cover other regular expenses like transportation, food, and healthcare. / Mi hogar puede cubrir fácilmente otros gastos regulares como transporte, comida y atención médica. 2 c. My household has spent more than $100 in the past year on repairing damages caused by the environment or reducing potential impacts. / Mi hogar ha gastado más de $100 el año pasado en reparar daños causados por peligros o reducir problemas futuros. 3 d. We have delayed repairs we want to do to our home (like roof, windows, mold) because of cost. / Hemos retrasado las reparaciones que queremos hacer en nuestra casa (como el techo, las ventanas, el moho) debido al costo.
3 e. We do not have or need flood insurance. / No tenemos seguro contra inundaciones. 4 f. We do not have earthquake insurance. / No tenemossegurocontra terremotos. 2 g. If my household faced a $400 emergency expense, we would not be able to immediately pay for it in cash. / Si mi hogar enfrentara un gasto de emergencia de $400, no podríamos pagarlo inmediatamente en efectivo.
1 h. In order to pay a $400 emergency expense, my household would have to pay with a credit card or borrow the money. / Para pagar un gasto de emergencia de $400, mi hogar tendría que pagar con una tarjeta de crédito o pedir prestado el dinero.
1 i. Other / Otro

3. What information or materials would be helpful to make you feel safer in future hazardous events? What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?

a. Emergency alerts / Alertasde emergencia 5
b. Know evacuation routes / Conoce las rutas de evacuación 5 c. Items to keep in an emergency preparedness kit / Artículos para tener en un kit de preparación para emergencias
3 d. What to do with pets / Que hacer con las mascotas 2 e. Where are shelters or temporary cooling centers / Dondese ubican albergueso centros de enfriamiento temporal
3 Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-31
What County resources or programs (e.g., fire safety) would be helpful to prepare you for future hazardous events?
a. Phone app that provides alerts / Aplicación de teléfono que proporciona alertas 4 b. Information about financial resources or services to support preparedness / Información sobre recursos financieros o servicios para apoyar la preparación 3 c. Written information provided in my language spoken / Información escrita proporcionada en mi idioma hablado
1 d. The ability to call someone at the County for support in my language / La capacidad de llamar aalguien en el condado para obtener apoyo en mi idioma

5. Which of the following would you prioritize for neighborhood improvements? a. Improved transit infrastructure (bus stops, signs, benches) / Infraestructurade tránsitomejorada(paradasde autobús, letreros, bancos)
1 b. Safer biking routes / Rutasciclistasmásseguras
c. Pedestrian safety (sidewalks, crosswalks, speed bumps) / Rutas peatonales más seguras (aceras, cruces peatonales, badenes)
3 d. Improved water supply (safe drinking, firefighting) / Mejor suministro de agua (bebida segura, extinción de incendios)
1 e. Flood barriers / Barreras contra inundaciones 2
f. Security cameras for safety and dumping / Cámaras de seguridad para seguridad y vertido 1 g. More or improved parks /Más parqueso mejorados 1
h. Improved roads (potholes) / Carreterasmejoradas(baches) 4 i. Air quality monitoring / Monitoreo de la calidad del aire 3 j. Cool and clean air shelters (community center) / Centrosde enfriamiento/refugiosde airelimpio(centrocomunitario)

General comments:

• Wind is a real concern. Falling trees and powerlines are scary to deal with. • Residents are not universally affected by flooding.
• Needs to be planning for evacuation on non-County maintained roads. How many residents are in Lexington Hills? No one is paying attention or communicating what is going on in these areas. • PG&E doesn’t care about their mess.
• Power is slow to come back on in current event. (Note: These was a heat wave at time of listening session.)
• “Priorities” shift seasonally, but they are all important. • Living with wildfires is a new reality for us.
o People are working outside when the air is unbreathable. o Indoors [workers] work without money for air filtration systems. o Not just need for cooling centers, but filtration.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix A: Public Engagement Results A-32
• Drought – A community well system is expensive.
o This is another hazard that is seasonal.
o Need better system for capturing stormwater runoff. Need more education and funding. Need help installing residential and community systems.
• San Jose Water increasing rates, doing a lot of work right now • Flooding
o Takes a long time to recover from losses, get back to pre-disaster state o Roads washing out
o Flooding is an additional insurance, many areas didn’t know it was something they needed. • Extreme heat events happening more frequently and closer together than they use to. (“Once in 25 year rainfall” is happening five times per month)
• Weekly newsletters/newspapers to spread information.
• Sirens in Gilroy, used them in ’98, haven’t used recently to signify floods. o Five minutes can make a big difference as a house floods. • Monterey County uses Alert/Sheriff system all the time – has evacuation warning and fire maps. o Make you respond that they’ve reached you.
• How much time is enough time to evacuate and prepare? Depends on the event. Storms vs fire vs drought have really different timescale.
• Averages don’t always capture the real situation on the ground – also look at min and max. • Why are these outreach meetings not also being sent out as press release to local news media for general circulation. Weekly newspapers service each of the different areas of the County unincorporated areas: Make a requirement for Public Notice?
• County failed to designate evacuation route planning since 2009 CWPP recommendations.

Subdivisions of 30+ homes share a single egress route.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan —DRAFT Appendix B: Adoption Resolution B-1
Appendix B: Adoption Resolution
Once the 2023 Santa Clara Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) has received FEMA “Approvable Pending Adoption” (APA) status, the governing body of every participating jurisdiction will formally adopt this MJHMP.

After FEMA has determined that all plan requirements have been met, including receipt of the formal adoption documentation, FEMA will provide a letter indicating the plan is approved.

A copy of the adoption resolutions and approval letter are included in this appendix.

Santa Clara County
Multijurisdictional Hazard
Mitigation Plan 2023 Update
City of Santa Clara Annex
February 21, 2024

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Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 3

1. City of Santa Clara

1.1. Hazard Mitigation Plan Points of Contact
The point of contact during the Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) planning process for the City of Santa Clara was the Emergency Management Analyst. This annex within the MJHMP was developed using information provided by the City of Santa Clara’s Local Planning Team.

Table 1: City of Santa Clara Local Planning Team Members for the 2023 Santa Clara County MJHMP
Name Position Department Role on Team and in Planning
Process
Jennifer Guzman Emergency
Management
Analyst
Office of
Emergency
Services
General oversight, hazard
identification, and plan development,
Plan Review Committee
Gary Welling Director of Water
& Sewer Utilities
Water & Sewer
Utilities
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Shilpa Mehta Assistant Director
of Water & Sewer
Utilities
Water & Sewer
Utilities
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Craig Mobeck Director of Public
Works
Public Works Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Michael Liw Assistant Director
of Public Works
Public Works Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Falguni Amin Principal Engineer Public Works Hazard identification and plan development, Plan Review Committee
Manuel Pineda Chief Electric
Utility Officer
Silicon Valley
Power (SVP) [City
of Santa Clara
Electric Utility]
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Kevin Kolnowski Electric Utility
Chief Operating
Officer
Silicon Valley
Power (SVP) [City
of Santa Clara
Electric Utility]
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Andrew Crabtree Director of
Community
Development,
Floodplain
Manager
Community
Development
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
John Davidson Principal Planner Community
Development
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Armand Lobao Building Official Community
Development
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 4
Name Position Department Role on Team and in Planning
Process
Ruben Torres Fire Chief City of Santa
Clara Fire
Department
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
John Madden Deputy Fire Chief City of Santa
Clara Fire
Department
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Jeremy Ray Deputy Fire Chief City of Santa
Clara Fire
Department
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Dennis Yee Fire Captain City of Santa
Clara Fire
Department
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Wahid Kazem Assistant Police
Chief
City of Santa
Clara Police
Department
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Cuong Phan Police Lieutenant City of Santa
Clara Police
Department
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
Michelle
Templeton
Sustainability
Manager
City Manager’s
Office
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee
David Knight Communication
Management
Analyst
Office of
Communications
Hazard identification and plan
development, Plan Review Committee

The City’s Local Planning Team Members participated in the MJHMP by attending meetings on the Plan Kick-Off, Risk Assessment, Capabilities Assessment, Mitigation Strategy, Wrap-up, and five one-on-one meetings with the planning consultant. In addition, the city filled out the requested forms on each section which were used to develop this annex. The city also shared information regarding public opportunities to participate in the draft plan update utilizing the digital survey and seven in-person and virtual public outreach meetings. Further, the City team was provided the opportunity to review the draft plan prior to submittal to Cal OES and FEMA.

Table 2: External Stakeholders Invited to Be Involved in Planning Process Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
American Red Cross Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations, among
others.

A nonprofit humanitarian
organization that provides
emergency assistance, disaster
relief, and disaster
preparedness education in the
United States.

Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES)
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

A corps of trained amateur radio
operator volunteers organized to
assist in public service and
emergency communications.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 5
Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
Avenidas Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

Non-profit dedicated to helping
older adults find critical
programs and services.

CADRE - Collaborating
Agencies’ Disaster Relief Effort
Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

A leading network of
organizations that provide
community services that are
essential.

California Office of Emergency
Services (Cal OES)
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

Office responsible for
overseeing and coordinating
emergency preparedness,
response, recovery, and
homeland security activities
within the state.

California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

The fire department of the
California Natural Resources
Agency.

California Department of
Transportation
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

An executive department of the
U.S. state of California.

Cattlemen’s Association Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

A nonprofit trade association
that represents California's
ranchers and beef producers in
political affairs.

City of East Palo Alto Neighboring communities. A city in San Mateo County, California, United States.

City of Menlo Park Neighboring communities. Menlo Park is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo
County.

Cooper-Garrod Estate
Vineyards
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

Garrod Farms is a family-owned
and operated estate winery and
stables.

Department of Homeland
Security
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

The U.S. federal executive
department responsible for
public security, roughly
comparable to the interior or
home ministries of other
countries.

Department of Toxic
Substances
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

An agency of the government of
the state of California that
protects public health and the
environment from hazardous
waste.

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Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
Downtown Streets Team Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

Teams that restore dignity,
inspire hope, and provide a
pathway to recover from
homelessness.

Emergency Medical Services Agencies that have the authority to regulate development.

Provides statewide coordination
and leadership for the planning,
development, and
implementation of
local EMS systems.

Emergency Services Volunteer
Representative
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

Organization that ensures public
safety, security, and health by
addressing and resolving
different emergencies.

Federal Aviation Administration Agencies that have the authority to regulate development.

Offers civil aviation safety
enforcement services.

Google Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

American multinational
technology company focusing
on artificial intelligence, online
advertising, search engine
technology, cloud computing,
computer software, quantum
computing, e-commerce, and
consumer electronics.

Hidden Villa Farm Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations, among
others.

Nonprofit educational
organization teaching programs
on environmental and
multicultural awareness.

Intel Corporation Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

An American multinational
corporation and technology
company headquartered in
Santa Clara, California.

Kaiser Permanente—Santa
Clara
Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

An American integrated
managed care consortium.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 7
Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
Life Moves Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

Provides interim housing and
supportive services for
homeless families and
individuals to rapidly return to
stable housing.

Moffett Field Ames Research
Center, National Aeronautics
and Space Administration
(NASA)
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

Major NASA research center
at Moffett Federal Airfield in
California's Silicon Valley.

National Weather Service,
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

Scientific and regulatory agency
within the U.S. Department of
Commerce.

Pacheco Pass Water District Neighboring communities. Independent special water district.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Representatives of businesses, academia, and other private
organizations, and neighboring
communities.

One of the largest combination
natural gas and electric utilities
in the United States.

Regional Water Quality Control
Board
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development.

Provides government regulatory
services related to water
pollution and control.

Rotating Safe Car Park Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities, and neighboring
communities.

Allows for temporary overnight
parking for homeless individuals
or families living out of their
cars as a safe alternative to
sleeping on the streets or in a
homeless shelter.

Santa Clara County CERT Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

Trains residents to prepare for
and respond to life-threatening
events in their community.

Santa Clara County FireSafe
Council
Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

A nonprofit, grassroots
organization that provides
education and project
assistance for homeowners.

Santa Clara County Local
Oversight Program
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities.

Program to oversee assessment
and mitigation of contaminated
sites to protect groundwater
resources, human health,
safety, and the environment.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 8
Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
Santa Clara County Parks Agencies that have the authority to regulate development, and
neighboring communities.

Provide, protect, and preserve
regional parklands for the
enjoyment and education.

Santa Clara County Planning &
Development
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development, and
neighboring communities.

Plays a key role in supporting
economic development and
ensuring opportunities for the
public to participate in
land development.

Santa Clara County Sheriff’s
Office
Agencies that have the authority
to regulate development, and
neighboring communities.

A local law enforcement agency
that serves Santa Clara County,
California.

Santa Clara University Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

A private Jesuit university in
Santa Clara, California.

Santa Clara Valley Open Space
Authority
Neighboring communities. An independent special district in Santa Clara County.

Santa Cruz County Neighboring communities. A county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California.

St. Louise Hospital (Santa Clara
County Hospital System)
Representatives of nonprofit
organizations, including
community-based organizations,
that work directly with and/or
provide support to underserved
communities and socially
vulnerable populations.

Community hospital.

Stanford Healthcare Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations, and neighboring
communities.

Multispecialty clinic that
provides convenient access to
advanced, specialty care in the
South Bay.

Westwind Barn Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations.

State-of-the-art horse boarding
and training facility.

County of Santa Clara Neighboring jurisdiction, local
agency involved in hazard
mitigation.

Response for engaging the
whole community in assessing
needs and developing strategies
to achieve stronger mitigation
capabilities within the Santa
Clara County Operational Area.

City of Campbell Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Cupertino Neighboring communities. Located in Silicon Valley.

City of Gilroy Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Los Altos Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

Town of Los Altos Hills Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

Town of Los Gatos Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Milpitas Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Morgan Hill Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

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Agency or Organization Stakeholder Type Description
City of Mountain View Neighboring communities. A city in Santa Clara County.

City of Palo Alto Neighboring communities. Located in Silicon Valley.

City of San José Neighboring communities. Located in Silicon Valley.

City of Saratoga Neighboring communities. Located in Silicon Valley.

City of Sunnyvale Neighboring communities. Located in the Santa Clara Valley.

Santa Clara County Fire
Department
Local and regional agencies
involved in hazard mitigation
activities, and neighboring
communities.

A California Fire Protection
District serving Santa Clara
County.

Santa Clara Valley Water
District
Representatives of businesses,
academia, and other private
organizations, and neighboring
communities.

Provides stream stewardship,
wholesale water supply, and
flood protection for Santa Clara
County, California.

Santa Clara actively engaged with a significant number of stakeholders throughout the plan development process by inviting them to meetings, incorporating them into their Local Planning Team, and providing them the opportunity to review the draft plan. These stakeholders included local and regional agencies involved in hazard mitigation activities (like Office of Emergency Services, Public Works Department, Silicon Valley Power, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Regional Water Quality Control Board and Bay Area Air Quality Management District), agencies that have the authority to regulate development (including the city’s Building Official, local Floodplain Manager, Caltrans and Valley Transportation Authority, and Regional Water Quality Control Board), neighboring communities (such as the City of San Jose, City of Sunnyvale, and City of Cupertino), representatives of businesses, academia, and other private organizations (like major employer Intel, the Union Pacific Railroad, Amtrak, Capital Corridor, Mission College, and Santa Clara University), as well as representatives of nonprofit organizations, including community-based organizations, that work directly and/or provide support to underserved communities and socially vulnerable populations (including the American Red Cross, local healthcare organization Kaiser Permanente – Santa Clara, Santa Clara Unified School District, and Santa Clara County FireSafe Council).

1.1.1. Public Outreach and Engagement
In addition to inviting a wide range of stakeholders, the City supported public outreach and engagement through distributing a digital survey utilizing social media, email, and a City newsletter. This survey reached members of underserved populations, including primarily non-English speaking households. In addition, the MJHMP was discussed at two virtual and five in-person public meetings across Santa Clara County. These in-person meetings were targeted towards areas with socially vulnerably populations. This plan update utilized the legal definition of AFN for this approach. The California Government Code Section 8593.3 defines Access and Functional Needs as “Individuals who have: Developmental, intellectual, or physical disabilities; Chronic conditions or injuries; Limited English proficiency or non- English speaking; Or individuals who are: older adults, children, or pregnant; living in institutional settings; or Low-income, homeless, and/or transportation disadvantaged.” In Saratoga, according to the U.S.

Census an estimated 46.1% of the population speaks a language other than English, a key factor to consider while developing any kind of emergency management and mitigation approach to public outreach. The C-MIST framework is used to integrate AFN populations in the operational area into emergency management through communications, maintain health, independence, support, safetyand self-determination, and transportation. These meetings were also designed to be accessible for AFN (access and functional needs) populations. The City actively advertised this opportunity, including Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 10
specifically inviting Listos California members. Listos helps every Californian, regardless of age, ability, income, or language, receive a culturally competent education on preparing for wildfire, flood, earthquake, drought, heatwave, and other disasters. The public was also provided the opportunity to comment on the draft plan.

Comments from the public survey were reviewed, evaluated for alignment with planning priorities, and incorporated as appropriate. Overall, the public expressed concern with similar hazards as the plan participants such as wildfire (including wildfire smoke), flooding, and extreme heat. Additionally, there was multiple mentions of the need for public education and outreach and evacuation routes. Specific recommendations for the City of Santa Clara including holding a public meeting on the hazards . Other relevant feedback included a discussion of the importance of the urban forest and how trees can support resilience. These types of feedback are integrated into the mitigation actions the City has selected.

Figure 1: City of Santa Clara Newsletter

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 11

Figure 2: Email on Public Meeting

Figure 3: Email to Listos

The participation of the City of Santa Clara and its stakeholders helped informed the development of the MJHMP and this annex in accordance with current priorities. The new plan continues to expand upon the work of the prior plan including emphasizing partnerships both within jurisdictions and speci al districts as well as with external stakeholders. Further, there is an increased emphasis on climate change, reflecting the increased understanding of the risk this hazard poses to the OA. The City did not iden tify additional changes in priorities to be highlighted in their annex.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 12

1.2. Jurisdiction Profile
The following is a summary of key information about the jurisdiction and its history:
 Date of Incorporation: July 5, 1852
 Current Population: 130,127 as of January 1, 2022
 Population Growth: Based on the data tracked by the state Department of Finance, the City of Santa Clara has experienced a gradual rate of growth since the year 2000. The overall population has increased by 11.73% percent since 2010 and growth averaged 0.72% percent per year from 2017 to 2022. The City is an important employment center and houses approximately 122,000 jobs. The City is projected by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) in 2030 to have a resident population of 141,700 and to support 137,480 jobs.  Location and Description: The City of Santa Clara encompasses 18.41 square miles and is located 45 miles south of San Francisco and 382 miles north of Los Angeles. The City of Santa Clara is situated near to the south end of San Francisco Bay in Santa Clara County, also known as Silicon Valley in recognition of the region’s leadership in worldwide technology innovations.

The City boundaries are completely urbanized, and the City is bordered by other urbanized areas, including San José, Cupertino and Sunnyvale. The City is developed on relatively flat terrain and drained by three seasonal creeks, San Tomas Aquino, Saratoga and Calabazas creeks, all of which empty into the southern portion of San Francisco Bay. The Guadalupe River, which also drains into the Bay, defines part of the City’s eastern boundary.  Brief History: By 1850, when California became a state, Santa Clara was an established frontier settlement. In 1851, Santa Clara College, now Santa Clara University, was founded on the Mission site. The incorporation of Santa Clara as a City followed in 1852. In 1866, th e City officially established a grid street system to accommodate anticipated growth. The City of Santa Clara, “The Mission City,” has been transformed over the past century, from a small agricultural town to a major employment and community center in Silicon Valley. It is called “Mission City” in reference to the Mission Santa Clara de Asis, which opened in 1777 as one of 21 Spanish missions established by Franciscan padres along El Camino Real in California. The central core of the City grew outward from the original downtown and the Old Quad residential area around the University and Agnew Village - a satellite area that established a base for residential neighborhoods in north Santa Clara. Primarily an agricultural community through the mi d-1900s, the City of Santa Clara evolved to become a family-oriented, suburban community of comfortable neighborhoods in the post-World War II era, and the heart of Silicon Valley in the electronics industry boom of the 1970s. In 2014, Levi’s Stadium opened in Santa Clara as the home of the San Francisco 49ers football team and a premier sports and entertainment venue that hosted Super Bowl 50.
 Climate: Santa Clara’s climate is Mediterranean in nature, with mild temperatures year -round.

January is on average the coolest month, with an average low temperature of 42 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and an average high temperature of 58°F. July is on average the warm est month, with an average low temperature of 58°F and an average high temperature of 82°F. Average annual rainfall is 14 inches, with rain concentrated in the winter months (November through March).
 Governing Body Format: Santa Clara is a Charter City with a City Council and City Manager form of government, with the City Manager and City Attorney appointed by the City Council. The City of Santa Clara is governed by a seven-member city council. The Police Chief and City Clerk are elected positions. The City Manager is responsible for hiring all other City staff, preparing an annual budget, and general oversight of City operations, including the City’s utilities. The City consists of fourteen departments: Community Development, Electric Utilities (Silicon Valley Power), Finance, Fire, Human Resources, Information Technology, Library, Parks and Recreation, Public Works, Police, Water and Sewer Utilities, City Attorney’s Office, City Clerk’s Office and the City Manager’s Office. The City also has a separate Stadium Authority and Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 13
Housing Authority, which are overseen by the City Council. The City has eleven commissions that report to the City Council. The City Council assumes responsibility for the adoption of this plan; the City Manager will oversee its implementation.

1.3. Development Trends
Development is prominent in the City of Santa Clara. Over $3 billion in development projects are planned for Santa Clara over the next few years, with the likelihood of more to come. Additionally, the City’s 2010 - 2035 General Plan states that the City can expect a significant amount of population and job growth in the future. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) projects that the County of Santa Clara will grow by 512,900 (27%) in population and 427,480 (46%) in new employment between 2010 and 203 5. In the same time frame, ABAG projects that the City of Santa Clara will accommodate nearly six percent of this new population, resulting in 28,300 new residents. Job growth in the City is also expected to grow just as quickly, matching that of the County, with 48,690 new jobs (45% growth).

The City of Santa Clara has increased its population since the previous plan was developed, thereby increasing its vulnerability to hazards. This will likely increase vulnerability to hazards that have the potential to impact the entire city such as heavy rain and associated flooding, high wind, extreme heat, drought, and earthquake. Landslide and wildfire risk are limited and vulnerability to these hazards is not believed to have increased. Santa Clara has and will continue to monitor the vulnerability of its population and increasing educational outreach. New development is anticipated to be slow due to the city being built out. New construction is consistent with General Plan policies and municipal code standards, and as a result, most recent development has occurred outside of identified hazard zones. Due to the fact that there was not a significant growth in population or changes in land use as well as the rigorous implementation of current building codes and standards, the overall vulnerability to all h azards is not expected to increase.

Detailed information regarding the City’s recent and future development trends can be found in Table 163.

Table 3: Recent and Expected Future Development Trends
Criterion Response
Has your jurisdiction annexed
any land since the development
of the previous hazard
mitigation plan?
 If yes, give the estimated
area annexed and estimated
number of parcels or
structures.

No
Is your jurisdiction expected to
annex any areas during the
performance period of this
plan?
 If yes, please describe land
areas and dominant uses.
 If yes, who currently has
permitting authority over
these areas?
No
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 14
Criterion Response
Are any areas targeted for
development or major
redevelopment in the next five
years?
 If yes, please briefly
describe, including whether
any of the areas are in known
hazard risk areas.

The City has adopted Specific Plans and Focus Areas (Tasman East, adopted in 2018; Patrick Henry Drive, adopted in 2022; and Freedom Circle, adopted in 2022) where significant development, primarily residential development, is anticipated. Also, the City has adopted entitlements in recent years for a 9 million sq. ft project named Related Santa Clara. At least the first phase of this multiphase project is expected to be constructed in the next five years.

How many building permits
were issued in your jurisdiction
since the development of the
previous hazard mitigation
plan?
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Total
Number of
Permits
2,185 2,381 2,093 1,458 1,729 1,945
Please provide the number of
permits for each hazard area or
provide a qualitative description
of where development has
occurred.

High Liquefaction Areas: According to the USGS map, the high liquefaction area is approximately 3 miles west of Guadalupe River along the northeast City boundary. The land uses are mostly open land with a small area of low and medium densities of residential, mixed use, and industrial.

Please describe the level of
buildout in the jurisdiction,
based on your jurisdiction’s
buildable lands inventory. If no
such inventory exists, provide a
qualitative description.

The City does not have a buildable lands inventory. The City is completely built out; however, there exists opportunity for intensification of already built out sites. The recently adopted Tasman East Specific Plan, Patrick Henry Drive Specific Plan, and Freedom Focus Area are areas where the General Plan was amended to facilitate redevelopment and intensification, as these are areas with industrial uses that will be converted through the implementation of the specific plans into high density housing.

1.4. Capability Assessment

1.4.1. Resources for the 2023 Planning Initiative
The following technical reports, plans, and regulatory mechanisms were reviewed to provide information for inclusion into the 2023 Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan for both Volume 1 and Volume 2 (City of Santa Clara Annex). All the below items were additionally reviewed as part of the full capability assessment for the City of Santa Clara.  City of Santa Clara 2010-2035 General Plan: The General Plan, including the Land Use and Safety Elements, were reviewed for information regarding goals and policies consistent with hazard mitigation for carry over as goals and objectives.  City of Santa Clara Municipal Code: The Municipal Code was reviewed for the capability assessment and to identify opportunities for action plan integration.  Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance: The Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance was reviewed for compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program.  Capital Improvements Plan: The Capital Improvements Plan was reviewed to identify cross- planning initiatives for inclusion as mitigation projects.  The City of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): This plan was reviewed to complete the Planning Documents portion of this Annex.

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 Technical Reports and Local Information: Outside local resources, technical reports, and references were used to complete the City of Santa Clara Annex.

1.4.2. Full Capability Assessment
An assessment of legal and regulatory capabilities is presented in Table 164 and Table 165. An assessment of fiscal capabilities is presented in Table 166. An assessment of staffing capabilities is presented in Table 167. An assessment of administrative and technical capabilities is presented in Table 168. Information on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) compliance is presented in Table 169. An assessment of education and outreach capabilities is presented in Table 170. Classifications under various community mitigation programs are presented in Table 171. Development and permitting capabilities are presented in Table 172, and the community’s adaptive capacity for the impacts of climate change is presented in Table 173.

Table 4: Legal and Regulatory Capabilities: Codes, Ordinances, and Requirements Legal and Regulatory
Capability
Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
Building Code Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: 2019 California Building Code, City Ordinance 2053: 2022 Building Code Update Zoning Ordinance Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: City Code, Title 18
Subdivision
Ordinance
Yes Yes Yes No
Comment: City Code, Chapter 17.05
Stormwater
Management
Ordinance
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: City Code, Chapter 13
Other Natural
Hazard-Specific
Ordinances
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: Water Service and use Rules and Regulations, Ordinance No. 1901, Santa Clara City Code Chapter 13.10 Sewer, Santa Clara City Code Chapter 12.15 Water Post-Disaster
Recovery
No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Real Estate
Disclosure
No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Growth Management Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: City Code, Chapter 2 and Chapter 17
Site Plan Review Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: City Code, Title 18
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 16
Legal and Regulatory
Capability
Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
Environmental
Protection
No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Flood Damage
Prevention
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: City Code, Chapter 15.45
Emergency
Management
Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: City Code, Chapter 2
Climate Change No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Acquisition of land
for open space and
public recreation
uses
No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Table 5: Planning, Legal, and Regulatory Capabilities
Planning, Legal, or Regulatory
Capability
Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
General Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Is the plan compliant with Assembly Bill 2140? Yes
Comment: City of Santa Clara 2010-2035 General Plan
Capital Improvement Plan Yes No Yes Yes
How often is the plan updated? Biannually
Comment: 2023-2024 CIP
Floodplain or Watershed Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: City of Santa Clara Risk and Resilience Assessment for the America’s Water Infrastructure Act 2018
Stormwater Management Plan Yes Yes (SCVWD) Yes Yes
Comment: The City has a Stormwater Masterplan which aims to reduce ponding and flooding in the City.

Urban Water Management Plan Yes No Yes Yes
Comment: The City develops Urban Water Management Plan every 5 years that provides an overview of the City’s current and long-term water supplies, future water needs of the City, and the City’s water conservation programs. This Plan does not address any natural hazards.

Habitat Conservation Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 17
Planning, Legal, or Regulatory
Capability
Local
Authority
Other
Jurisdiction
Authority
State
Mandated
Integration
Opportunity?
Green Infrastructure Plan Yes No No No
Comment: Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan
Parks or Open Space Plan No No No No
Comment: The Parks & Recreation Department does not have a systemwide Parks & Open Space Plan, that would be a section/part of the City’s General Plan. The Department will be hiring a consultant in 2023 to develop a Citywide Parks & Recreation Master Plan.

Economic Development Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Transportation Plan No No No No
Comment: The City’s Bicycle Plan and Pedestrian Masterplan have the goal to increase alternative transportation modes (bicycling and walking) through prioritized improvements and programs. These plans don’t address natural hazards, however, increasing alternative modes can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Shoreline Management Plan No Yes No No
Comment: None Identified.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Forest Management Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Climate Action Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Comment: The City established a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2013.

Local Emergency Operations Plan Yes No No No
Comment: City adopted the Santa Clara County Plan – Annex L and has a Volume 2 that is localized.

Threat and Hazard Identification and
Risk Assessment (THIRA)
No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Post-Disaster Recovery Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Continuity of Operations Plan No No No No
Comment: None Identified.

Public Health Plan No Yes Yes No
Comment: Santa Clara County Strategic Public Health Plan Other: Response Guides Yes No No Yes
Comment: Severe Weather Response Guide, Unhealthy Air Response Guide, and the Cooling/Warming Center Response Guide

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Table 6: Financial Capabilities
Financial Capability Could the resource be
used to fund future
mitigation activities?
Has the funding resource been
used in the past for mitigation
activities? If yes, for what type
of mitigation activities?
Community Development
Block Grants
Yes No
Other Federal Funding
Programs
Yes No
Capital Improvements Project
Funding
Yes Yes, desilting westside retention
basin, etc., increases flood
protection
Authority to Levy Taxes for
Specific Purposes
Yes, though voter approval
required
Yes, Storm/Flood mitigation.

The Fire Department has not levied
any general taxes but does use fee
recovery mechanisms for mitigation.

For example, CUPA fees for future
HazMat incident prevention and
mitigation, or weed abatement
activities for which non-compliant
parcels are assessed on property tax
bills.

User Fees for Water, Sewer,
Gas or Electric Services
Yes Not based on the City’s current
impact fees/nexus studies.

Stormwater Utility Fee No No
Incur Debt through General
Obligation Bonds
No, voter approval required No
Incur Debt through Special
Tax Bonds
No, voter approval required No
Incur Debt through Private
Activity Bonds
No No
Withhold Public Expenditures
in Hazard-Prone Areas
Yes No
State Funding Programs Yes No
Development Impact Fees for
Homebuyers or Developers
Yes, nexus study required No
Public or Private Partnership
Funding Sources
No No
Other Funding Sources Yes Yes, storm and public facilities; however, limited resources.

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Table 7: Staffing Capabilities
Staffing Capability Have Capability? Is staffing adequate to enforce regulations?
Is staff trained on
natural hazards
and mitigation?
Chief Building Official  Yes
 Full time
 Building Division
No Yes
Parks and Recreation
Director
 Yes
 Full time
 Parks and Recreation
No No
Emergency Manager  Yes
 Full time
 Emergency Services
No Yes
Community Planner  Yes
 Full time
 Community
Development
Department
No No
Civil Engineer  Yes
 Full time
 Engineering within
Public Works,
Community
Development
Department, Silicon
Valley Power, Water &
Sewer Utilities
No Yes
Engineers or
professionals
trained in building or
infrastructure
construction practices
 Yes
 Full time
 DPW, Community
Development
Department, Silicon
Valley Power, Water &
Sewer Utilities
Yes, CDD-Building Yes
Planners or engineers
with knowledge of land
development and land
management practices
 Yes
 Full time
 DPW, Community
Development
Department, Silicon
Valley Power, Water &
Sewer Utilities
Unknown Yes
Planners or engineers
with an understanding
of natural hazards
 Yes
 Full time
 DPW, Community
Development
Department, Silicon
Valley Power, Water &
Sewer Utilities
Yes, CDD-Building Yes
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Staffing Capability Have Capability? Is staffing adequate to enforce regulations?
Is staff trained on
natural hazards
and mitigation?
Surveyors  Yes
 Full time
 Land Surveyor, DPW
No No
GIS Coordinator or
personnel skilled or
trained in GIS
applications
 Yes
 Full time
 Contracted, IT
Department for
enterprise GIS and
applications along with
the departmental
SMEs; also includes
staff trained in DPW,
Silicon Valley Power,
Water & Sewer
Utilities
Unknown No
Public Works Director  Yes
 Full time
 Public Works
Department
No Yes
Fire Chief  Yes
 Full time
 Fire Department
Yes Yes
Environmental Director  No environmental
director but PW
handles some
components including
Waste collection,
Stormwater programs,
closed Landfill
Operations &
Maintenance.
 Water and Sewer
utilities oversees
Water Distribution
System CIP and
Operation and
Maintenance, supply,
Water quality, Water
Conservation,
Recycled water,
Sewer collections
System and their
Operations and
maintenance, Fat, Oil
and Grease, Pre-
Treatment program.

No No
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Staffing Capability Have Capability? Is staffing adequate to enforce regulations?
Is staff trained on
natural hazards
and mitigation?
Staff with training in
benefit/cost analysis
 Yes
 Full time
 Finance/Director
Yes No
Scientist familiar with
natural hazards in local
area
No N/A N/A

Table 8: Administrative and Technical Capabilities
Administrative or
Technical Capability
Have
Capability?
Has the capability been used to assess or mitigate risk in the past? If yes, what type of hazard event?
Maintenance
programs to reduce
risk
Yes The City of Santa Clara needs to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NDPES)
permit requirements, which aim to minimize the amount or pollutants that get into our waterways via storm drains. To accomplish this, the City of Santa Clara takes the following measures:
 More frequent street sweeping in industrial zones
 Early sweeping schedule in industrial zones to avoid
parked cars that limit access to the curbside
 Educational outreach
 Adoption of Single-Use Carryout Bag and Polystyrene
Foam Food Service Ware Ordinances
 Installation of full trash capture devices in storm drain inlets
 Support community litter abatement efforts through
the Adopt-a-Spot Program

Also, the City has programs related to Tree Maintenance, Storm Drain System Maintenance in addition to regular
street sweeping.

Mutual aid
agreements
Yes The Police & Fire Departments are part of the Countywide mutual aid plan that requires resource sharing for
unplanned events. Electric Utility has mutual aid through California Utilities Emergency Association.

Hazard data and
information
Yes Flood maps, water & sewer maps, tree maps, power line maps.

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Administrative or
Technical Capability
Have
Capability?
Has the capability been used to assess or mitigate risk in the past? If yes, what type of hazard event?
Hazard analysis or
GIS software
Yes The City’s Enterprise GIS is composed of dozens of data layers from the core departments engaged with hazard
mitigation such as Public Works, Community Development, Fire, Police, Office of Emergency Services, Silicon Valley Power, and Water & Sewer. Data stored in the Enterprise GIS is crucial to hazard mitigation efforts (i.e., floods, fires & public safety initiatives). For example, the Enterprise GIS has been used to support the fire department in their
planning for hazard mitigation around fires at a
manufacturing plant where unsafe chemicals are stored.

Grant writing Yes The grant writer is contracted with Townsend Public Affairs (TPA) for grant opportunities including Fire, Police, DPW, IT, Parks & Rec, SVP, Water & Sewer Utilities.

Does your jurisdiction
have any established
warning systems or
services for hazard
events?
Yes AlertSCC is the County of Santa Clara’s official emergency alert and warning system and is used by the City of Santa Clara.

Table 9: National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Compliance Topic Response
What department in your jurisdiction is
responsible for floodplain management?
Community Development
Who acts as your jurisdiction’s floodplain
administrator?
Director of Community Development
Is the floodplain administrator or NFIP
Coordinator certified?
No
Is floodplain management an auxiliary
function in your jurisdiction?
No
What is the date of adoption of your flood
damage prevention ordinance?
Floodplain Management Ordinance 2060 was
adopted by City Council on June 6, 2023.

Do floodplain development regulations meet
or exceed FEMA or state minimum
requirements? If regulations exceed
requirements, in what ways?
Yes, they meet the minimum requirements.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 23
Topic Response
How are the substantial
improvement/substantial damage provisions
implemented?
Both the Floodplain Administrator and Building
Official are authorized to make substantial
improvement/substantial damage determinations.

The Floodplain Administrator may further
designate this duty to other employees, as
necessary. The Floodplain Administrator and
Building Official are responsible for working
together to assess damaged buildings located in
flood hazard areas and inform owners of the
requirement to obtain permits for repairs. The
Floodplain Administrator is responsible for
reviewing all development permits where
proposed development is located in flood hazard
areas. All permits shall be maintained and
permanently kept and made available for public
inspection as necessary.

Provide an explanation of the permitting
process for development within the floodplain.

See City code Title 15, Chapter 15.45.

Does your floodplain management program
meet or exceed minimum requirements?
Yes, Floodplain Management Ordinance 2060
was adopted by City Council on June 6, 2023.

When did your jurisdiction enter the NFIP? January 20, 1999 Is your jurisdiction in good standing with the
NFIP?
Yes
Are the jurisdiction’s Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRMs) digital, paper, or both?
Digital
Adopted effective FIRMs 5/18/2009
Explanation of NFIP administration services
within your jurisdiction.

The Building Permit review process includes
review of all SFHA areas to provide proper
mitigations and requirements prior to issuance of
a Building Permit.

Plans are clearly marked and noted when located
within a designated floodplain and specific
requirements are detailed.

Barriers to running an effective NFIP program
in your jurisdiction.

N/A
When was the most recent Community
Assistance Visit (CAV) or Community
Assistance Contact (CAC)?
2012
Is a CAV or CAC scheduled or needed? Unknown
Does your jurisdiction have any outstanding
NFIP compliance violations that need to be
addressed?
No
Do your flood hazard maps adequately
address the flood risk within your jurisdiction?
Yes
Does your floodplain management staff need
any assistance or training to support its
floodplain management program?
Yes
Does your jurisdiction participate in the
Community Rating System (CRS)?
Yes
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Topic Response
How many structures are exposed to flood risk
within your jurisdiction?
Unknown
How many flood insurance policies are in
force in your jurisdiction?
 What is the insurance in force?
 What is the premium in force?
683 policies in force
$222,286,800 insurance in force
$643,583 premium in force
Areas of flood risk with limited NFIP policy
coverage.

Unknown
How many total loss claims have been filed in
your jurisdiction?
 How many claims were closed without
payment or are still open?
 What is the total amount of paid claims?
 How many claims were for substantial
damage?
 29 total loss claims have been filed
 $264,753 total payments for losses
How NFIP compliance will be continued during
the next 5 years.
 Adoption of an updated Floodplain
Management Code
 The Building Permit review process includes
review of all SFHA areas to provide proper
mitigations and requirements prior to issuance
of a Building Permit.
 Floodplain mapping updates.
 Ongoing communication to property owners
who are interested in improving properties in
SFHA to provide updated information.

Table 10: Education and Outreach Capabilities
Education or Outreach
Capability Response
How does the personnel,
program, or organization
relate to disaster
resilience and
mitigation?
Could the personnel,
program, or
organization help
implement future
mitigation activities?
Does your jurisdiction have
a Public Information Officer
or Communications Office?
Yes Works in coordination with
the EOC in any relevant
resiliency and mitigation
messaging
Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
personnel skilled or trained
in website development?
Yes Works in coordination with
the EOC in any relevant
resiliency and mitigation
messaging
Yes
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 25
Education or Outreach
Capability Response
How does the personnel,
program, or organization
relate to disaster
resilience and
mitigation?
Could the personnel,
program, or
organization help
implement future
mitigation activities?
Does your jurisdiction have
hazard mitigation
information available on
your website?
Yes The Fire Department has
an emergency
preparedness webpage
that includes links to
various resources, as well
as a copy of the current
local hazard mitigation
plan.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction
utilize social media for
hazard mitigation education
and outreach?
Yes Works in coordination with
the EOC in any relevant
resiliency and mitigation
messaging using Twitter,
Facebook and NextDoor

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
any citizen boards or
commissions that address
issues related to hazard
mitigation?
No N/A No
Does your jurisdiction have
any ongoing public
education or information
programs that could be
used to communicate
hazard-related information?
Yes Under the CRS program,
ongoing public education
continues through social
media on topics related to
storm preparedness,
earthquake readiness, and
other hazards
Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
local citizen groups or
nonprofit organizations
focused on environmental
protection, emergency
preparedness, and/or
underserved populations?
Yes Training people in
advance who can be
leaders in their own
communities as CERT
volunteers assists with the
City’s mitigation
capabilities. We have the
ability to swear in CERTs
as Disaster Service
Workers (DSWs) if needed
in a disaster. We have
also increased the number
of City staff members in
various departments to
have the ability to swear in
emergency DSWs.

Yes
Does your jurisdiction have
natural disaster or safety
related school programs?
Yes Safe Routes to School;
emergency preparedness
& fire safety outreach to
schools
Yes
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Education or Outreach
Capability Response
How does the personnel,
program, or organization
relate to disaster
resilience and
mitigation?
Could the personnel,
program, or
organization help
implement future
mitigation activities?
Does your jurisdiction have
public/private partnership
initiatives addressing
disaster-related issues
Yes Office of Emergency
Services partnership with
the County Office of
Emergency Management,
County Climate
Collaborative, Silicon
Valley Urban Forest
Alliance and Valley Water
Yes

Table 11: Community Classifications
Participating? Classification Date
Classified
Community Rating System Yes 7 10/1/2019
Building Code Effectiveness Grading
Schedule
No - N/A
Insurance Services Office (ISO) Fire Rating Yes 2 2021
National Weather Service StormReady
Program®
No N/A N/A
Firewise USA® Program No N/A N/A

Table 12: Development and Permitting Capabilities
Development or Permitting Capability Response
Does your jurisdiction issue development
permits?
 If no, who does? If yes, which department?
Yes
Community Development
Does your jurisdiction have the ability to track
permits by hazard area?
Yes
Does your jurisdiction have a buildable lands
inventory?
Yes

Table 13: Adaptive Capacity for Climate Change
Adaptive Capacity Assessment Question Jurisdiction Rating Technical Capacity
Jurisdiction-level understanding of potential climate change impacts Medium
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 27
Adaptive Capacity Assessment Question Jurisdiction Rating Comment: None provided
Jurisdiction-level monitoring of climate change impacts Medium Comment: Sea level rise is expected to have minimal impacts to Santa Clara properties.

Technical resources to assess proposed strategies for feasibility and externalities High
Comment: None provided
Jurisdiction-level capacity for development of greenhouse gas emissions inventory Medium
Comment: Climate Action Plan contains a comprehensive inventory, and the update of the Climate Action Plan in the next 1-3 years will include an inventory update.

Capital planning and land use decisions informed by potential climate impacts High
Comment: General Plan principles, including the Climate Action Plan criteria, consider climate implications.

Participation in regional groups addressing climate risks Medium Comment: Staff participates in regular regional climate change meetings as time permits.

Implementation Capacity
Clear authority/mandate to consider climate change impacts during public decision-making processes High
Comment: The Climate Action Plan is incorporated into the General Plan and is considered as part of the decision-making process.

Identified strategies for greenhouse gas mitigation efforts High Comment: The Climate Action Plan (CAP) addresses statewide GHG reduction goals through 2020, and the City updated the CAP in 2022 to address the GHG reductions goals for 2030 and 2050.

Identified strategies for adaptation to impacts Medium
Comment: The initiatives and strategies addressed across all departments through CAP.

Champions for climate action in local government departments Medium Comment: Sustainability manager was hired in 2020.

Political support for implementing climate change adaptation strategies Medium
Comment: Sustainability is continually gaining additional support in the community and with the Council.

Financial resources devoted to climate change adaptation Medium Comment: None provided.

Local authority over sectors likely to be negative impacted Medium Comment: None provided.

Public Capacity
Local residents’ knowledge of and understanding of climate risk Medium Comment: Some members are highly educated. More City outreach could contribute to overall knowledge base.

Local residents’ support of adaptation efforts Medium
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Adaptive Capacity Assessment Question Jurisdiction Rating Comment: Climate adaptation is a concept that has not yet been discussed widely and is often only associated with natural disaster response, not with the need for climate adaptation. Therefore, support for adaptation will depend on regional and statewide support for tying the public awareness about disaster response to the need for climate adaptation measures and funding as a strategy in natural disaster relief.

Local residents’ capacity to adapt to climate impacts High Comment: Lower income residents have expressed concerns about access and implementation of climate adaptation strategies at the individual level.

Local economy current capacity to adapt to climate impacts High Comment: In order to implement climate adaptation elements, cities will need to be creative in folding initiatives into existing CIP projects and seeking grant and community partnership approaches to funding.

Local ecosystems capacity to adapt to climate impacts Medium Comment: Valley Water is lead on riparian corridors and is addressing ecosystem health from that perspective. Additionally, Santa Clara is part of the Silicon Valley Urban Forest Alliance to address tree-related urban ecosystems.

1.4.3. Opportunities to Expand Upon and Improve Existing Capabilities The hazard mitigation planning process presented the opportunity for the community to discuss and evaluate their current capabilities however, building mitigation capabilities is an ongoing process. New capabilities can be added which will support mitigation. Current capabilities can also be enhanced to actively support mitigation and reduce risk. Significant efforts have been made to increase the capabilities of jurisdictions across the OA. By participating in this plan update, each community is reinforcin g their support for mitigation and understanding of the capabilities they need to successfully implement mitigation measures. Actions that can expand and improve existing authorities, plans, policies, and resources for mitigation include:
 Budgeting and passing policies and procedures for mitigation actions.  Adopting and implementing stricter mitigation regulations.  Approving the training of staff for mitigation activities.  Approving mitigation updates to existing plans as new needs are recognized.  Continuing to update plans as necessary to ensure they are current and reflect the needs of the community or special district.
 Further developing warning systems and messaging.
 Creating and implementing additional public education and outreach offerings and increasing the volume of translated materials.
 Ensuring grant opportunities are capitalized upon to meet mitigation goals.

Each type of the four FEMA-identified capabilities were evaluated, in addition to OA-priority capabilities like adaptive capacity. Gaps and limitations, if any, are discussed in the tables above. Additional jurisdiction-specific opportunities to expand on and improve capabilities for reducing risk include:
 Continue to participate in the Community Rating System and identify additional actions to both reduce flood risk and reduce flood insurance premiums.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 29
 Support vulnerable populations’ ability to adapt to climate change, including lower income residents.
 Actively identify and utilize a variety of funding sources for mitigation grants including capital improvement funds, grants, and community partnerships
 Support public education and outreach on climate adaptation and climate risk.  Incorporate considerations of natural hazards including climate change into the next Urban Water Management Plan update.
 Update the Climate Action Plan and incorporate additional data and actions related to hazard mitigation for those hazards influenced by climate change.  Since the last update, multiple new grant programs that support mitigation measures have been established. FEMA’s annual BRIC grant program funds a variety of mitigation actions , including infrastructure projects, nature-based solutions, climate adaptation, hazard resistant building codes, and projects benefitting disadvantaged communities.

1.5. Integration with Other Planning Initiatives
This section describes the process for integrating the hazard mitigation plan into local planning mechanisms.

1.5.1. Existing Integration
The following plans and programs currently integrate the goals, risk assessment and/or recommendations of the 2017 hazard mitigation plan:
 General Plan: The City of Santa Clara incorporates relevant mitigation measures into the policies and actions of the General Plan, including Safety Policy 5.10.5-P1, which calls for the LHMP to be the primary guide for disaster preparedness in the City. It addresses natural disasters such as earthquake, landslide, wildfire, and flooding.
 Climate Action Plan: Integrated into the General Plan, the CAP identifies steps for the City to take in its own operations and in review/approval of new development to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the time of the next update, information obtained in the update of the h azard mitigation plan will be integrated into the Climate Action Plan as appropriate.  Public engagement, education, and outreach: The City of Santa Clara engages the public through various media and outreach platforms on a broad range of hazard, resiliency, and adaptation messages. Examples include winter preparedness during the fall through the City’s newsletter and social media, ongoing social media and TV news stories about access to warming and cooling centers, and a booth with details about flood preparedness at the Art & Wine festival.

The City continues CRS activities program for public information (PPI) in collaboration with Valley Water. Water and Sewer Department booth at various City events like Earth Day/Arbor Day, Art and Wine Festivals, and parades for the engagement and outreach of drought and water conservation. The City also partners with SFPUC and Valley Water for various online classes on planting and succulents, all related to Water conservation.  Building and/or zoning codes: The City of Santa Clara regularly updates the California Title 24 Building Codes on the same triennial cycle that the State employs. Currently, the 2022 California Building Codes with local amendments have been adopted and registered with the State and were effective January 1, 2023. In addition, the City has adopted the revised 2023 City of Santa Clara Reach Code which has been accepted by the California Energy Commission and is in full effect as of January 1, 2023.

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 Floodplain management program and/or National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): The City’s Floodplain Management Regulations Ordinance will be updated with Federal FEMA requirements and coordinate with adopted Building Code regulations was adopted by City Council on June 6, 2023.
 Community Rating System (CRS) program: The City of Santa Clara participates in the CRS program and currently has a Class 7 rating which provides 15% discount on all Flood Insurance policies in special flood hazard area.

1.5.2. Opportunities for Future Integration
Mitigation has already been integrated into many of the City of Santa Clara’s planning mechanisms.

The update timeline for the majority of them do not align well with the hazard mitigation plan update process. However, if future opportunities become available, this plan may be incorporated into additional planning mechanisms. The following plans do provide an opportunity for future integration:
 Urban Stormwater Management Plan: The next update of the Urban Stormwater Management Plan is due in 2025. Information from the MJHMP on related hazards, like flooding, and mitigation goals/actions can be incorporated into this plan.
 Citywide Parks & Recreation Master Plan: The Parks & Recreation Department intends to hire a consultant in 2023 to develop this plan. The city can evaluate consistency with the hazard mitigation plan and incorporate recommendations as needed.

The City’s Local Planning Team, including the Planners, will be responsible for incorporating this MJHMP into other planning mechanisms. Where appropriate, this may include sharing the plan with contractor teams working on other plan updates.

1.6. Jurisdiction-Specific Natural Hazard Event History Table 174 lists all past occurrences of natural hazards within the jurisdiction.

Table 14: Natural Hazard Events
Type of Event FEMA Disaster #
(if applicable)
Date Preliminary
Damage Assessment
Winter Storms DR-4301
DR-4308
02/14/,2017
04/012017
Emergency Protective
Measures & Electric
Utility Repair
Drought N/A 07/2021–04/2023 15% Water cut back
and other Water
Shortage Contingency
Stage 2 Plan
implementation to
reduce water
consumption
Heat and Cold Events N/A Year Round Severity of extreme temperature events
create the need for
warming and cooling
center operations.

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Type of Event FEMA Disaster #
(if applicable)
Date Preliminary
Damage Assessment
Wildfire Smoke/Air
Quality
N/A Seasonal Communities staying
indoors; elderly and
AFN; downed trees &
power lines
Storm Impacts N/A Seasonal Public Works,
Water/Sewer, & SVP:
downed trees & power
lines

1.7. Jurisdiction-Specific Vulnerabilities
 Hazus earthquake models show significant risk to Santa Clara. Estimates for 100-year probabilistic earthquake show an estimated $2.9 million in damages, or 9.07% of the total replacement value in the city. This was the 4th highest percentage in the OA. Santa Clara had the second highest loss ratio for the San Andreas and Calaveras fault scenarios. Moderate to very high liquefaction potential exists across the city, with higher potential along the creeks.  Concerns regarding earthquakes include communications disruptions, limited or total loss of access to damaged sites, damaged roads may limit emergency vehicle access, availability of personnel, long-term staffing issues (rotation/relief), ALERTSCC may be unusable due to loss of power and/or communications, records retrieval maybe affected by cloud-based or internet disruptions. There are a number of older structures built before modern building codes. Aging infrastructure and deferred maintenance of emergency response fire stations could be significantly damaged as a result of a major earthquake, resulting in potential emergency response apparatus being unable to respond to emergencies. Similar vulnerabilities are expected with landslides, inclement weather, and wildfire.
 Hazus also shows that Santa Clara has very high risk to flooding. 16,644 residents (13% of the total population) are in the 1% SFHA which is the 2nd highest percentage in the OA. 35,182 residents (27.57%) are in the 0.2% floodplain, which is the highest percentage in the OA.

Flooding may cause communications failure, mass casualties, inability to respond, lack of PD resources for search/rescue efforts, employees’ ability to respond to PD to provide emergency services, long-term staffing issues (rotation/relief), ALERTSCC may be unusable due to water damage, loss of power and/or communications, records retrieval maybe affecte d by cloud- based/internet disruptions, and CLETS messaging maybe affected by communications disruptions. The Santa Clara Fire Department does not have any rescue boat resources and would rely on mutual aid from San Jose; however, those resources would like ly not be available due to San Jose also being significantly impacted. This would require resource requests from a greater distance which would delay boat-based rescue response if needed.  Several potential storm water system improvements have been identified to reduce flood risk, including assessment and repair of pump station outfalls, slide gate replacements at pump stations, curb and gutter repairs, improvements at Bowers Avenue Storm Drain pump station, and other storm drain improvement projects identified in the city’s storm drain master plan.  Wildfire hazard risk is lower than most cities in the OA. 113 structures valued near $4 million and 325 people are at risk. Small areas of risk are found in riparian areas near creeks and also in the open space closer to the bay. Weed and other vegetation management in these areas can keep wildfire risk low. Wildfires in the region could contribute to poor air quality in Santa Clara, which can be harmful to health, particularly for those with respiratory or other underlying health conditions. Public information regarding these health risks should be provided regularly. Climate change may increase the intensity and/or frequency of drought and extreme heat, which contribute to greater wildfire risk.

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 Over 50,000 people are potentially at risk to dam failure in Santa Clara. $12.5 billion in structural value is within dam inundation areas from the J Lenihan Dam. Access to adequate evacuation routes is critical for residents to leave areas that may be impacted by a dam failure.  Santa Clara has low risk to landslide. 614 people (0.48% of the total city population) are withing potential landslide areas, primarily along creek banks. Structures in these areas are valued at $148 million. The stream channel may experience bank erosion or other slope instability during or immediately following flood or heavy rain events. Due to limited vulnerability and potential mitigation measures, the City has selected to omit this hazard from further consideration.  Drought is a hazard that has similar conditions over broad areas. It is anticipated that the impacts of drought will be fairly consistent across the OA. Drought impacts can make vegetation more vulnerable to disease and wildfire. Extended drought may necessitate limits on landscape irrigation or higher costs for irrigation, which can have economic impacts. Although agriculture is not a primary economic sector in the OA, drought can have severe negative impacts on growth of crops and gardens. A severe drought may result in an increase of casualties. There will be increased mutual aid requests statewide for wildfire response, taxing Santa Clara resources. Fire Department training becomes limited due to water restrictions, increasing the risk to responders.

Drought conditions may become more frequent or more intense in the future due to climate change, requiring increased attention to maintaining an adequate water supply for the city. Water conservation and drought-tolerant landscaping can reduce risk by decreasing demand for water.  Impacts from inclement weather such as heavy rain, hail, and wind are likely to be very similar across the OA. Individual events may impact only limited areas, but the entire OA is at risk to similar conditions. Heavy rain may cause localized flooding on roadways and low-lying areas, which may disrupt transportation for the general public and can also delay emergency response.

Heavy rain can also have cascading impacts on landslide potential or strain the capacity of dams.

High winds can disrupt power, communication, and other services and cause damage to structures. Extreme heat or cold can be harmful to health, particularly those with inadequate housing with adequate warming and cooling systems. Those with underlying health conditions, access and functional needs, people over 65, and others may be particularly impacted by severe weather. People who work outdoors are also more at risk. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of severe weather events, including extreme heat, drought, and heavy rain.
 Extreme cold events are infrequent and expected to occur less in the future due to warming trends associated with climate change. Impacts to critical facilities, infrastructure, and other assets are minimal. Primary concerns associated with extreme cold are potential health impacts to vulnerable populations such as unhoused individuals, outdoor workers, or individuals without adequate heat in their homes.
 Trees can help cool surfaces and reduce the urban heat island effect in times of extreme heat.

However, high wind events can lead to damage from falling trees or tree limbs. Proper maintenance, watering, and pruning are needed to keep trees healthy to avoid potential damage.  Santa Clara does not have any assets directly at risk to tsunami. Some regional transportation or utility services may have indirect impacts on residents if disrupted by a tsunami. The mapped evacuation area for tsunami comes close to Hwy 237, a primary transportation route on the north end of Santa Clara. Although it is not expected, a tsunami could cause closure or other obstruction on this road or bridges in this area.
 Potential communication disruptions and power outages could affect technology and, employees’ ability to respond from home. Records retrieval may also be affected by cloud-based or internet disruptions.

Climate Change Considerations:

Anticipated changes in climate may increase the number of occurrences, length or intensity in hazards such as extreme heat or drought, as indicated by the CMRA tool. Both drought and extreme heat Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 33
conditions contribute to increased risk of wildfire, as lack of precipitation and high temperatures both contribute to vegetation becoming dry and more susceptible to quick ignition and faster fire spread.

Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can also reduce snowpack, and changes in runoff from snowpack may result in changes to water supplies throughout the region. Climate change may also impact the future frequency or severity of severe weather such as heavy rain and subsequent risk of flooding. Although CMRA does not indicate a significant change in the number of precipitation events or overall annual rainfall, it is anticipated that those events may become more extreme, with significant amounts of precipitation occurring during an extreme precipitation event.

Intense rainstorms can result in increased risk of landslides occurrences, so increased heavy rain events driven by climate change may also increase the occurrence of landslides. Loss of vegetation from wildfire reduces slope stability, so an increase in wildfires resulting from climate change may also increase post- fire debris flows.

Climate change may lead to frequent fluctuation of water levels retained by dams and may result increased discharges and flooding downstream and possibly overtopping or other design failures following extreme precipitation events.

An in-depth assessment of the possibility of increasing numbers and intensities of windstorms was not available for the OA; however, changes in temperature and extreme weather events may also be accompanied with increases in high wind. Winds can damage utility lines, resulting in power outages and can also contribute to extreme wildfire risk conditions.

Santa Clara will likely experience effects of climate change in relation to drought, extreme heat, heavy rain, high wind, flooding, and dam failure. Wildfire and landslide risk are confined to a relatively small area in Santa Clara. Climate change may impact those conditions but may not significantly increase the potential impacts to the city due to the limited extent. Climate impacts to earthquake hazards are not well understood and not currently believed to have an effect in Santa Clara. Additional details on potential impacts to population, property, critical facilities, the environment, and the economy can be found in Volume 1, Section 12.

Repetitive loss records are as follows:
 Number of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-identified Repetitive-Loss Properties (RL): 0
 Number of FEMA-identified Severe-Repetitive-Loss (SRL) Properties: 0  Number of RL Properties or SRL Properties that have been mitigated: 0

1.7.1. Social Vulnerability
Santa Clara residents have moderate to moderately high social vulnerability, as shown in Figure 113.

Several characteristics among the population may make efforts to recover from the impacts of natural hazards more difficult for many residents. Housing Type and Transportation characteristics are a major influencing factor in the overall high social vulnerability scores, as well as a high percentage of racial and ethnic minority populations in the city. Household characteristics and socioeconomic status also contribute to overall vulnerability, although to a lesser extent. The city will have to take additional steps to meet the specific needs of these vulnerable populations.

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts reports that 47% of Santa Clara residents are Asian, and 15.3% are Hispanic. 45% are foreign born and 55% primarily speak a language other than English at home. Cultural or language barriers may limit their access to information regarding hazard risks and post -disaster relief.

4.6% of individuals under 65 have a disability. These individuals may also have mobility limitations that increase their risks from severe weather and other hazards, and they may depend on others for medical care and other day-to-day assistance. 8% of the population have an income below the poverty level.

Those with lower incomes may be more likely to live in areas of poorly maintained or aging housing and Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 34
infrastructure. Older homes may be more susceptible to damage from earthquake, severe weather, or flooding. Individuals with fewer financial resources have less capacity to recover from disaster losses and are less able to secure temporary housing if needed.

Heavy rain, wind, extreme heat or cold, and drought can occur throughout the city, so all vulnerable populations could potentially experience greater impacts from those hazards. Earthquake and liquefaction risk and flood risk are also high throughout the city and could potentially impact all vulnerable populations.

Landslide susceptibility is minimal in Santa Clara and not a high concern for vulnerable populations.

Wildfire hazard is also limited in Santa Clara, but poor air quality from wildfires in nearby jurisdictions could contribute to health consequences for vulnerable populations such as children or people over age 65, outdoor workers, or those with respiratory or other chronic health conditions.

Figure 4: Santa Clara City Social Vulnerability
The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) in Figure 114 identifies census tracts that are overburdened and underserved. One tract in Santa Clara meets the thresholds for disadvantaged communities. Linguistic isolation, percentage of individuals with less than a high school diploma, high flood risk, exposure to air pollutants, and proximity to superfund and hazardous waste sites are among the factors contributing to Santa Clara’s disadvantaged status.

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Figure 5: CEJST Disadvantaged Communities in Santa Clara City

1.8. Hazard Risk Index
Table 175 presents the hazards of concern from highest risk index number to lowest, as assigned by the City of Santa Clara.

Table 15: Hazard Risk Index
Hazard Probability Life Impact Property
Impact
Percentage
of Area
Impacted
Maximum
Probable
Extent
Earthquake Highly Likely Catastrophic Catastrophic Extensive Major Flood Likely Critical Critical Significant Moderate
Dam/Levee
Failure
Occasional Critical Critical Extensive Major
Heavy Rain Highly Likely Limited Limited Significant Moderate High Wind Likely Limited Limited Significant Moderate
Extreme Heat Likely Limited Limited Significant Moderate Extreme Cold Likely Limited Limited Significant Moderate Drought Highly Likely Limited Minor Significant Moderate Climate Change Likely Limited Limited Significant Moderate

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Hazard Probability Life Impact Property
Impact
Percentage
of Area
Impacted
Maximum
Probable
Extent
Wildfire/Smoke/Air
Quality
Likely Limited Limited Minimal Moderate
Table 16: Comparison of Santa Clara City Hazard Risk Scores with Operational Area (OA) Risk
Score
Earth-
quake
Dam/Levee
Failure
Heavy
Rain
High
Wind
Extreme
Heat Wildfire Drought Flood Land-
slide Tsunami Climate
Change
Santa
Clara
3 1.8 1.7 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.45 2 0 0.35 1.4
OA 2.24 1.19 1.44 1.44 1.44 1.68 1.21 0.90 0.36 0.02 1.13

1.9. Future Needs to Better Understand Risk and
Vulnerability
Capabilities needed to better understand risk include frequent testing of PD and Fire communication systems in adverse conditions, with additional testing on backup communication abilities. As well as staffing modules to forecast long-term catastrophic relief or rotation, training PD personnel on the ICS Command Structure, and ensuring that historical records can be retrieved during catastrophic events.

1.10. Status of Previous Plan Actions
Participants were asked to report the status of their mitigation actions listed in the previous plan as a part of this plan update. Where further information isn’t provided, the answers are defined as follows:
 Completed – work on this action is totally complete.
 Completed and ongoing – work on this action is complete; however, it is an ongoing project that will continue to be implemented. An example is a public outreach campaign that was created and will continue to be implemented.
 In progress – work on this action has begun and is in progress, but the action is not yet complete.  Retain – work on this action has not begun yet, the action is still relevant, and it should be in the 2023 MJHMP.
 No longer relevant – Action item is no longer relevant due to reduce or eliminated risk, it no longer being feasible, there has been a change in jurisdictional or organizational priorities, or another reason as stated.

Unless specifically requested otherwise, only those actions listed as “retain” are incorporated into the 2023 action plan.

Table 17: Status of Action Items from the 2017 MJHMP
Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
SC-1 Where appropriate, support
retrofitting, purchase, or
relocation of structures in
All Hazards In progress. The City of Santa
Clara permits retrofits of existing
structures, including flood-
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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
hazard-prone areas to prevent
future structure damage. Give
priority to properties with
exposure to repetitive losses
proofing, consistent with the
building code. In addition, the City
is supportive of other agencies,
including the Santa Clara Valley
Water District (Valley Water), in
their efforts to remove structures
from hazard-prone areas. OES will
support Community
Development’s lead on this effort
and assist with identifying
applicable funding.

SC-2 Continue to support the
Planning Area-wide actions
identified in this plan
All Hazards In progress. This objective is re-
worded for clarity. OES/FIRE will
continue to support hazard
mitigation planning actions in the
City.

SC-3 Actively participate in the plan
maintenance strategy identified
in this plan
All Hazards In progress. OES will continue to
coordinate the maintenance
strategy identified in this plan.

SC-4 Consider participation in
incentive-based programs such
as Tree City and Storm Ready
All Hazards In progress. The City of Santa
Clara has been recognized as a
Tree City USA for the past 36
years running. The City updated
our Trees and Shrubs Ordinance
in 2021. Although the City
participates extensively in storm
readiness, it is not currently an
official Storm Ready City. Pursuing
an official Storm Ready
designation is not a priority at this
time as this would require
resources that exceed the City’s
current capacity such as a 24-hour
Emergency Operations Center and
trained “severe weather spotters.”
The City leverages working
relationships with the National
Weather Service and the County
Office of Emergency Management
to maintain situational awareness
of the weather and messages the
community through the City’s
communications channels with
severe weather notices and
preparedness information.

SC-5 Maintain good standing under
the National Flood Insurance
Program by implementing
programs that meet or exceed
the minimum NFIP
Flood In progress. The City of Santa
Clara participates in the Federal
Emergency Management
Agency’s (FEMA’s) Community
Rating System (CRS). CRS is a
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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
requirements. Such programs
include enforcing an updated,
adopted flood damage
prevention ordinance,
participating in floodplain
mapping updates, and
providing public assistance and
information on floodplain
requirements and impacts.

Continue participating in the
Santa Clara County
Multijurisdictional Program for
Public Information.
program through which FEMA
rewards communities that perform
floodplain management activities
above and beyond the minimum
requirements of the NFIP. The City
has a CRS class 7 rating, so
residents and businesses can
receive a 15% discount in
insurance premiums for properties
in Special Flood Hazard Areas and
a 5% discount in insurance
premiums for properties outside
Special Flood Hazard Areas.

The City maintains its participation
in NFIP, CRS and PPI. The City
regularly coordinates with other
Santa Clara County communities
for the annual PPI evaluation. The
City’s 5-year cycle visit for CRS is
scheduled for November 2023.

The City’s updated Floodplain
Management Regulations
ordinance was adopted by Council
on June 6, 2023.

SC-6 Integrate the Hazard Mitigation
Plan into other plans,
programs, or resources that
dictate land use or
redevelopment, such as the
General Plan, Climate Action
Plan, Zoning Ordinance,
Building Code, etc.

All Hazards In progress. The City of Santa
Clara has incorporated the HMP
into the City’s General Plan
through its Safety Goals and
Policies. In addition, the Adopted
2022 CAP Update will incorporate
adaptation and resilience
measures into the CAP’s
Community Resilience and Well-
being strategy. At the end of 2021,
the City Council adopted updated
Reach Codes and it cleared the
regulatory review in June 2022.

The City has adopted the 2022
Building Codes and an updated
2023 City of Santa Clara Reach
Code, all of which were effective
January 1, 2023.

SC-7 Based on EOC staffing
capabilities assessment,
ensure that mandated training
is provided to all employees in
SEMS, FEMA ICS-100, ICS-
All Hazards In progress. The objective is
reworded for clarity. EOC staff
have the goal of completing
training to achieve Level III
credentialing defined by the
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 39
Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
200, IS-700, and IS-800; and
ensure that employees training
records are security
maintained.

California Specialized Training
Institute (CSTI), the training
branch of the California
Governor’s Office of Emergency
Services (Cal OES).

As a short-term objective to this
goal, the City Manager formally
appointed City staff to work in the
EOC as part of a formal training
program that was launched in
September 2019. City staff
assigned to the EOC during the
pandemic response gained
extensive experience that will
assist with credentialing.

SC-8 Based on EOC staffing
capabilities assessment,
ensure that mandated training
is provided to employees who
require advanced knowledge
and application of the ICS, such
as primary and alternate EOC
Section Chiefs and senior field
personnel, to include at least
ICS-300, ICS-400, and the
FEMA Professional
Development Series; and
ensure that employee training
records are securely
maintained.

All Hazards No longer relevant. This objective
was deleted and integrated into
SC-7 and SC-9.

SC-9 Based on EOC staffing
capabilities assessment,
ensure that all Fire and Police
Department staff who may be
assigned the role of incident
commander at an
emergency/disaster scene have
received incident Commander
training; and ensure that
employee training records are
securely maintained.

All Hazards In progress. The Fire Department
is training Captains and above to
the Incident Command System
(ICS)-300 level and Battalion
Chiefs and above to the ICS-400
level. The Police Department is
training Lieutenants and above to
the ICS-300 level and Captains
and above to the ICS-400 level.

SC-10 Monitor local availability of
upcoming training opportunities
for city staff regarding incident
staffing, disaster response, and
recovery
All Hazards In progress. OES monitors local
availability of training opportunities
and notifies applicable EOC staff.

SC-11 Continue to conduct EOC
tabletop exercise(s) to evaluate
capabilities and train
All Hazards In progress. EOC staff gained
practical experience responding to
the COVID-19 pandemic. EOC
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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
employees in their assigned
EOC role(s)
staff facilitated the regional
simulation cell in the City EOC for
the 2022 Golden Eagle Exercise.

Tabletop exercises will continue
when COVID response activities
are expected to further decrease
beginning in the late fall of 2022.
(In November 2022, the EOC
tabletop exercises resumed.)
Water and Sewer Department
performed the tabletop exercise on
December 8th as a part of the
Emergency Response Plan that
included Water and Sewer
Department staff, crew, engineers,
administrative and department
management staff.

SC-12 Develop and exercise a
Disaster Debris Management
Plan
Dam Failure
Earthquake
Flood
Severe Weather
Retain. Not yet started. However,
the City is further in development
of a disaster debris management
plan based upon the disaster
recovery and reimbursement
process for the 2017 Winter
Storms that concluded in late
2018. The formal plan is a long-
term goal.

The County of Santa Clara does
not currently have a formal Debris
Management Plan. Once the
County drafts a debris
management plan with an included
template for use by local
jurisdictions in developing plans
for debris management, the City of
Santa Clara will utilize these
resources to develop a localized
plan.

SC-13 Enhance public education and
awareness of natural and
manmade hazards in the
community and public
understanding of disaster
preparedness, including foreign
language translations
All Hazards In progress. In partnership with the
Santa Clara County Office of
Emergency Management, the City
has distributed disaster
preparedness materials in English,
Spanish, Mandarin, and
Vietnamese. City departments
distribute these materials
throughout City Hall and to the
community, including at fire
stations, the Community
Recreation Center, Teen Center,
Youth Activity Center, Senior
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Item
Number*
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Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
Center, the Mission Branch,
Central, and Northside Libraries.

The Fire and Police Departments
and City Manager’s Office also
distribute the materials at trainings
and special events.

Even during the unprecedent
challenges posed in 2020 and
2021, the Police Department
continued to be an answering
point for public concerns ranging
from pandemic/shelter in place
questions to police policies and
practices. In addition, the
Fall/Winter Edition of Inside Santa
Clara provides winter
preparedness tips. The Summer
2022 Edition of Inside Santa Clara
was distributed and included a
section dedicated to fire and safety
tips. Other editions of the
magazine and the City’s website
and other communication
channels provide pandemic
outreach materials.
https://www.santaclaraca.gov/our-
city/departments-g-z/public-
works/engineering/flood-
protection/flood-safety-tips.

Outreach is also conducted in
other languages, including
Spanish, to promote emergency
preparedness. The City is also
collaborating with the local VOAD
(Voluntary Organizations Active in
Disasters) to provide MyShake
earthquake preparedness
outreach in our community in
multiple languages.

SC-14 Develop improved capabilities
to incorporate GIS technology
by all departments into services
provided to the public and for
use during emergency/disaster
incidents.

Dam Failure
Earthquake
Flood
In progress. This objective is re-
worded for clarity. The EOC has a
GIS-based operating picture and
will continue to add layers for
increased situational awareness
as funding and staff time become
available. Water and Sewer
Utilities is transitioning their Water,
Sewer and Recycled Water plat
maps to GIS version. SVP
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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
maintains Electric Utility
infrastructure in GIS.

SC-15 Conduct a test of emergency
communications and
information systems
interoperability, to establish
baseline capabilities for
employee call-back,
communications between the
EOC and incident command,
and communications with the
Operational Area and Mutual
Aid resources
All Hazards In progress. Baseline capability
with the AlertSCC application for
employee callback was
established in August 2018. Key
EOC leadership positions may
also be notified through the low
technology option of telephone.
(Confidential wallet cards with
contact information are maintained
and updated regularly for this
option. Communications between
the EOC and Incident Command
are tested regularly during Levi’s
Stadium events. Communications
with the Operational Area and
Mutual Aid resources are
implemented day-to-day with the
Police and Fire Departments. The
Fire Department uses CrewSense
staffing software for enhanced
callback notification of personnel
to their cell phone during large
events that require a recall of
personnel.

The City’s Alert and Notification
Workgroup convened in March
2020 and had been in recess due
to the current COVID-19 pandemic
response. However, during 2022
the workgroup reconvened with
Communications and Police
Departments participating to
coordinate in advance and engage
in practice drills. (Please Note: For
the purposes of emergency
operations, the Communications
Team is defined as all
departmental PIOs or operational
leads.) SVP, in collaboration with
Water and Sewer Utilities, is also
looking into implementing staffing
software to callback utilities crew
and staff.

SC-16 Conduct a gap analysis of the
Santa Clara City
Emergency/Disaster
preparedness and response
program, to include a
All Hazards In progress. A review of plans and
procedures identified the need for
a Severe Weather/Flood Plan to
formalize practices in this area,
and a draft Incident Planning and
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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
comprehensive review of
employee training requirements
and needs, plans and
procedures, EOC equipment
and staffing capabilities, and
related analysis
Response Guide has been
developed.

The Water/Sewer Department
hired a consultant to complete a
Risk and Resilience Assessment
(RRA) by March 31, 2020, and an
Emergency Response Plan (ERP)
by September 30, 2020, to meet
federal regulations under the
America’s Water Infrastructure Act
(AWIA). The consultant has
completed both RRA and ERP and
conducted a thorough review of all
critical assets and risk assessment
of the water system that involves
all hazards that include natural
hazards, dependency and
proximity threats, offsite threats
and malevolent threats that might
impact water system operations
and engineering systems.

The Department is also performing
once a year tabletop exercise and
update to the ERP for water and
sewer utilities.

The purpose of the RRA and ERP
is to identify City response actions
during an emergency that will
maintain the expected quantity of
water, maintain water treatment,
protect employees, minimize
disruption to the public, preserve
property, and maintain community
trust in the City. The
recommendations by the
consultant will be incorporated into
the department future Capital
Improvements Program (CIPs)
projects.

SC-17 Acquire a mobile Emergency
Operations Center
All Hazards Retain. Acquisition is not yet
started. This continues to be a low
priority in consideration of other
City priorities and available
resources, including from
neighboring jurisdictions.

SC-18 Develop unmanned aerial
vehicle (UAV/drone) capability
for hazard mitigation surveys
and post-disaster damage
Dam Failure
Flood
Earthquake
Severe Weather
In progress. The Fire Department
purchased a UAV and obtained
FAA approvals to operate it within
the City. It is recommended that a
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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
assessments, and develop
policies, procedures, and staff
training guidelines for UAV use.
policy be developed regarding
UAV capability and for the public
to be made aware. The Police
Department is developing
applicable UAV policies for both
the Police and Fire Departments.

As of October 2019, both Fire and
Police Departments have obtained
Council approvals to purchase
UAV capabilities. After a
significant delay due to position
freezes, the Police Department
recently began the process to
standup their UAV program.

Currently, the program is being
managed as a collateral
assignment. The Fire Department
completed the purchasing process
for a drone and took possession in
May 2021. The Certificate of
Authorization (COA) process is
completed, and the Department
has full FAA authorization. Six
personnel have completed a drone
pilot process and are authorized to
fly under those regulations. Future
growth of the Fire Department’s
Drone Program includes training
more pilots, developing more
internal operational procedures for
use outside of emergency
incidents and outreach to
community members who are
certified drone pilots that might be
interested in joining the Santa
Clara Fire Department Volunteer
Reserve Firefighter Program.

SC-19 Enhance Fire Department field
inspection system using
portable computers for engine
company inspections and Fire
Prevention inspections, to
integrate inspections, re-
inspections, invoicing, permits,
CUPA and business license
data
All Hazards In progress. The Fire Department
coordinated a purchase with the
Community Development and
Finance Departments of a
common software platform (i.e.,
Accela) to accomplish this
objective. The platform is currently
functioning and in use.

SC-20 Conduct seismic and functional
assessment of Emergency
Operations Center
All Hazards Retain. The assessment has not
yet started. A seismic and
functional assessment of the EOC
was part of a facilities
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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
infrastructure assessment of Fire
Department buildings expected to
be initiated in 2020. Since the
budget for this project was not
approved, other avenues will
continue to be explored.

SC-21 Acquire emergency generators
for the City’s critical facilities,
specifically Fire Stations 5,7,8
and 9. Citywide Generator
Replacement Program includes
Water well, water
tanks/reservoir, Sewer Pump
Stations and Storm Pump
Station Sites.

All Hazards In progress. This objective was
reworded for clarity. Phase I of the
generator replacement project is
nearing completion and new
generators have been installed at
several fire stations and the
Emergency Operations Center.

Phase II of the project includes
two storm pump stations and two
water well sites, construction
contract is awarded, in pre-
construction phase, and estimated
construction completion date is
Fall 2025.

SC-22 Maintain and improve Water
and Sewer Utilities as
necessary to ensure systems
are able to maintain their
functionality in response to
potential hazards such as
drought, flood, or earthquakes
Drought
Flood
Earthquake
In progress. The City ended the
proclamation of drought
emergency on May 9th and kept
water use restrictions unchanged
to prepare for the inevitable
drought known to come. It requires
level 2 drought water shortage
contingency plans. On July 18,
2023, the Council adopted a
resolution rescinding stage 2 of
the City’s water shortage
contingency plan while continuing
to implement State Water
Resources Control Board Water
Use Restrictions. The City is
maintaining the 15% voluntary
water use reduction compared
with 2019 in alignment with Valley
Water policy.

City staff continues to work closely
with Valley Water, Bay Area Water
Supply and Conservation Agency
and SFPUC staff to provide a
coordinated message to
customers and develop
conservation strategies, outreach
materials and a communication
plan for water conservation to
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Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
address future drought and climate
change impacts.

SC-23 Integrate climate change and
natural hazards planning into
current city plan revisions and
future planning initiatives.

All Hazards In progress. Climate Change is
addressed both in the
sustainability section of the City’s
General Plan and in the Climate
Action Plan (CAP). The CAP,
which was adopted by the City
Council on June 7, 2022, includes
more stringent 2030 reduction
targets, along with adaptation and
resiliency measures as a part of
the Community Resilience and
Well-being strategy.

SC-24 Develop and maintain a
landscape design manual to
provide general guidance and
education to the public on water
efficiency in landscaping and to
serve as a resource for water
efficient landscape design and
installation in compliance with
the State Water Efficiency
Landscape Ordinance (as
amended), including lists of
recommended site appropriate
native and drought-tolerant
plant species
Drought In progress. The City offers a
number of design and
conservation resources on its
website, including How to
Conserve Water in the Garden,
and Valley Water’s Rules of
Thumb for Water-Wise Gardening
and Garden Planner (California
Native Plant Society). The City
also offers landscape rebate
conversions in partnership with
Valley Water.

The Department is in the process
to amend its water conservation
rules and regulations to promote
water conservation and use of
recycled water.

SC-25 Continue to improve the City’s
bike network in coordination
with partner agencies, such as
the Valley Transportation
Authority
All Hazards  Ongoing. Significant progress
has occurred in this area as
described below.
 The City of Santa Clara
adopted a Bicycle Master Plan
Update (2018) in September
2019. The Bicycle Master Plan
contains a set of project
recommendations along
corridors and intersections to
build out our bicycle network
throughout the city. These
projects are ranked in order of
priority for our top 40 projects
and cost estimates are
included for all projects within
the plan. The city has 58.8
miles of existing bikeways, and
at complete build-out there
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Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
would be 130 miles of
bikeways.
 Creek Trail Master Plan. Creek
trails are for both pedestrians
and bicyclists. The Creek Trail
Master Plan encompasses new
trails of approximately 9+
combined miles along
Calabazas Creek, a major
portion of Saratoga Creek, and
the Hetch Hetchy corridor
(which is under the jurisdiction
of the San Francisco Public
Utilities Commission).

Coordination with numerous
stakeholders (Valley Water,
Santa Clara County, City of
Sunnyvale, Union Pacific
Railroad, etc.) for this project
has been a challenge, but
progress is being made as we
are targeting to complete the
Master Plan with 30% design
plans in 2024. Public outreach
to begin in summer 2023.
 Several bike projects have
been completed since adoption
of the 2018 Bicycle Plan
Update.
 Several bike study projects are
planned in the next year
(studies required to look at
design options which may
include parking and/or travel
lane removal).

SC-26 Hire or assign a management-
level staff member as the
Sustainability Manager to
coordinate sustainability efforts
among different departments
and outside agencies
All Hazards Completed. A Sustainability
Manager was hired in January
2021.

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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
SC-27 Continue to implement and
monitor the current 2014
Climate Action Plan (CAP) and
prepare a comprehensive
update to the CAP to comply
with slate greenhouse gas
reduction targets. Include
adaptation strategies within the
updated CAP
All Hazards In progress. The City is
implementing its adopted CAP,
including divesting itself from
ownership of a coal-fired power
plant at the end of 2017. The City
has prepared two annual reports
(2016 and 2018) that monitor
progress towards climate goals
under the 2014 CAP. In addition,
as a part of the 2018 CAP annual
report, the City performed both
citywide and municipal inventories,
which give the City a baseline for
future climate planning efforts. In
summer of 2022 the City Council
adopted an Update to the CAP to
include more stringent 2030
reduction targets, along with
adaptation and resiliency
measures as a part of the
Community Resilience and Well-
being strategy.

SC-28 Increase situational awareness
capacity in the EOC by
expanding GIS resources and
providing air to ground
communications
All Hazards In progress. Levi’s Stadium has
air-to-ground communications, and
the EOC has established
communications with Levi’s
Stadium. The Police Department
has audio communications with
both the Sheriff’s Office and the
San Jose Police Department. The
County Sheriff is in the process of
developing air-to-ground
communications that may benefit
the City in the future.

SC-29 Secure all critical infrastructure
in the EOC, the EOC perimeter,
and immediate vicinity
All Hazards Retain. Not yet started. However,
security in the EOC has increased
with the addition of security
badges. Grant opportunities to
establish an EOC secure
perimeter will continue to be
assessed as staff resources allow.

SC-30 Restore the original storage
capacity of the Westside Water
Retention Basin to hold
additional storm water and
reduce flooding risk by desilting
the basin
Flood Completed. The Westside
Retention Basin desilting project is
completed.

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Action
Item
Number*
Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Current Status and Comments
SC-31 New; added to the City’s
Annual Evaluation Report for
the 2017 Plan. Restore the
original storage capacity of the
Eastside Retention Basin to
hold additional storm water and
reduce flooding risk by desilting
the basin. Funding for the
design of the project was
transferred to another storm
drain project, Laurelwood
Storm drain pump station
rehabilitation project (higher
priority). The additional funding
request for the desilting project
is unfunded.

Flood Retain. Funding for the design,
permitting and desilting of the
Eastside Retention Basin will be
requested in the FY 2024/25 and
FY 2025/26 CIP budgeting
process.

SC-32 New; added to the City’s
Annual Evaluation Report for
the 2017 Plan. Laurelwood
Storm Pump Station
Rehabilitation: The pump
station was constructed in 1986
and there have been no major
improvements to the station
since its construction. The
Project will modify existing
headworks of the wet well,
replace existing pumps with
new, replace pump controls,
improve station configuration,
and rehabilitate existing
building structure to meet
current building codes. The
proposed improvements will
help the station to meet or
exceed the station capacity and
improve efficiency.

All hazards In progress. The project
construction has started, and the
tentative construction completion
date is Fall 2023 (most of the work
is completed except the new
generator).

SC-33 New; added to the City’s
Annual Evaluation Report for
the 2017 Plan. Replace the
Westside Storm Pumps: The
Westside Retention Basin
Pump Replacement Project is
to replace all five pumps (three
large pumps and two dry
weather flow pumps),
associated motors,
appurtenances, and structural
components.

All hazards Completed.
* Number given to action item in 2017 Santa Clara County Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan

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1.11. Mitigation Successes
Hazard Mitigation is incorporated into the City of Santa Clara’s plans and regulations beyond this Hazard Mitigation Plan, including the General Plan, Climate Action Plan, and Storm Drain Master Plan. Santa Clara actively conducts public education and outreach activities on mitigation. During the development of the Climate Action Plan, despite the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly requiring virtual engagements, the City was able to engage with hundreds of people and received over 1,000 comments throughout the planning process. During these engagements, not only was the City of Santa Clara able to hear directly from stakeholders but was also able to educate the community about the importance and urgency of climate action. The City also participates in a Multijurisdictional Program for Public Information. As a part of this, Santa Clara actively shares information on hazard mitigation measures, like reducing flood and fire risk, on the City’s website, through a citywide newsletter, at a flood readiness table at a l ocal event, and directly to residents and businesses in the SFHA through a newsletter. Additionally, Santa Clara has begun implementing more structural and infrastructure mitigation measures. For example, the City has been working to implement flood protection measures, including making improvements to the existing storm drain system.

During severe drought and pandemic, the City actively conducted several public outreach measures, council updates, and rebates to conserve water indoor and outdoor. Due to likelihood of having drought in near future, the city continues to promote conservation as a way of life.

1.12. Hazard Mitigation Action Plan and Evaluation of
Recommended Actions
Table 178 lists the actions that make up the City of Santa Clara hazard mitigation action plan. The maps in Figure 115 through Figure 122 present the City’s critical infrastructure and identified hazard areas.

Descriptions of the expected time frames for actions are provided below:
 Short term: 1–5 years
 Medium term: 5–10 years
 Long term: Over 10 years
 Ongoing: Currently being funded and implemented under existing programs

The planning partners utilized the following criteria to prioritize action items into the categories of high, medium, or low.
 High Priority— A project that:
▪ Meets multiple goals and objectives (i.e., multiple hazards); ▪ Addresses multiple hazards;
▪ Has benefits that exceed cost;
▪ Has funding secured or is an ongoing project;
▪ Meets eligibility requirements for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants; ▪ Can be completed in the short term (1 to 5 years);
▪ Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change; ▪ Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 51
▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Medium Priority— A project that:
▪ Meets multiple goals and objectives;
▪ Addresses multiple hazards;
▪ Has benefits that exceed costs;
▪ Has funding has not been secured, but that is grant eligible under Hazard Mitigation Assistance grants or other grant programs;
▪ Project can be completed in the short term (1-5 years), once funding is secured. Medium priority projects will become high priority projects once funding is secured; ▪ Addresses immediate short-term impacts of climate change; ▪ Benefits underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.
 Low Priority— A project that:
▪ Will mitigate the risk of at least one hazard;
▪ Has benefits that do not exceed the costs or are difficult to quantify:
▪ Does not have secured funding;
▪ Is not eligible for Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant funding; ▪ Has a timeline for completion that is long term (greater than 5 years). Low priority projects may be eligible for other sources of grant funding from other programs; ▪ May address impacts of climate change;
▪ May benefit underserved and/or socially vulnerable populations; AND ▪ Considers the Multi-Benefit Criteria utilized by the Santa Clara County Climate Collaborative, including equity, long-term value, ecosystem benefit, community benefit, and cross- jurisdictional alignment.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 52
Table 18: City of Santa Clara 2023 Action Items
Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
SC-1* Where appropriate, support
retrofitting, purchase, or
relocation of structures in hazard-
prone areas to prevent future
structure damage. Give priority to
properties with exposure to
repetitive losses.

All Hazards,
including
Earthquake, Flood,
Dam Failure
OES/Community
Development
Pre-
Disaster
Mitigation
(PDM),
Hazard
Mitigation
Grant
Program
(HMGP),
Local
Budget
(local
match
Dependent on
Funding (Short-term)
Low
SC-2* Continue to support the Planning
Area-wide actions identified in
this plan.

All Hazards OES Local
Budget
Ongoing High
SC-3* Actively participate in the plan
maintenance strategy identified in
this plan.

All Hazards OES Local
Budget
Ongoing Medium
SC-4* Consider participation in
incentive-based programs such
as Tree City and Storm Ready.

Heavy Rain, High
Wind, Extreme
Heat, Drought
Community
Development and
Public Works
Local
Budget
Short-term Low
SC-5A* Maintain good standing under the
National Flood Insurance
Program (NFIP) by implementing
programs that meet or exceed
the minimum NFIP requirements.

Such programs include enforcing
an updated, adopted flood
Flood Community
Development and
Public Works
Local
Budget
Ongoing High
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 53
Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
damage prevention ordinance,
participating in floodplain
mapping updates, and providing
public assistance and information
on floodplain requirements and
impacts. 1
SC-5B* Continue participating in the
Santa Clara County
Multijurisdictional Program for
Public Information.

Flood, Heavy Rain,
High Wind,
Extreme Heat,
Drought, Dam
Failure, Wildfire,
Earthquake,
Community
Development and
Public Works
Local
Budget
Ongoing High
SC-6* Integrate the Hazard Mitigation
Plan into other plans, programs,
or resources that dictate land use
or redevelopment, such as the
General Plan, Climate Action
Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Building
Code, etc.

All Hazards All City Departments Local
Budget
Ongoing High
SC-7* Based on EOC staffing
capabilities assessment, ensure
that mandated training is
provided to all employees in
SEMS, FEMA ICS-100, ICS-200,
IS-700, and IS-800; and ensure
that employees training records
are security maintained.

All Hazards OES Local
Budget
Short-term/Ongoing Medium
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 54
Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
SC-9* Based on EOC staffing
capabilities assessment, ensure
that all Fire and Police
Department staff who may be
assigned the role of incident
commander at an
emergency/disaster scene have
received incident Commander
training; and ensure that
employee training records are
securely maintained.

All Hazards OES/Fire and Police Local
Budget
Short-term/Ongoing High
SC-10* Monitor local availability of
upcoming training opportunities
for city staff regarding incident
staffing, disaster response, and
recovery.

All Hazards All City Departments Local
Budget
Short-term/Ongoing Medium
SC-11* Continue to conduct EOC
tabletop exercise(s) to evaluate
capabilities and train employees
in their assigned EOC role(s).

All Hazards OES Local
Budget,
UASI,
HSGP
Long-term Medium
SC-12* Develop and exercise a Disaster
Debris Management Plan.

Dam Failure,
Earthquake, Flood,
Heavy
Precipitation /
Atmospheric River,
Extreme
Heat/Extreme
Cold, High Wind
CMO/OES/Public
Works/SVP
Local
Budget,
UASI,
HSGP
Long-term Medium
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 55
Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
SC-13* Enhance public education and
awareness of natural and
manmade hazards in the
community and public
understanding of disaster
preparedness, including foreign
language translations. 1
All Hazards,
including Flood,
Heavy Rain, High
Wind, Extreme
Heat, Drought,
Dam Failure,
Wildfire,
Earthquake,
All City Departments Local
Budget,
UASI
Long-term High
SC-14* Develop improved capabilities to
incorporate GIS technology by all
departments into services
provided to the public and for use
during emergency/disaster
incidents.

Dam Failure,
Earthquake, Flood
Wildfire
OES Local
Budget,
PDM
Long-term High
SC-15* Conduct a test of emergency
communications and information
systems interoperability, to
establish baseline capabilities for
employee call-back,
communications between the
EOC and incident command, and
communications with the
Operational Area and Mutual Aid
resources.

All Hazards Communications /
OES
Local
Budget,
UASI,
HSGP
Long-term Medium
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 56
Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
SC-16* Conduct a gap analysis of the
Santa Clara City
Emergency/Disaster
preparedness and response
program, to include a
comprehensive review of
employee training requirements
and needs, plans and
procedures, EOC equipment and
staffing capabilities, and related
analysis.

All Hazards OES Local
Budget,
HSGP
Long-term Medium
SC-17* Acquire a mobile Emergency
Operations Center.

All Hazards OES Local
Budget,
UASI,
HSGP
Long-term Low
SC-18* Develop unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV/drone) capability for hazard
mitigation surveys and post-
disaster damage assessments,
and develop policies, procedures,
and staff training guidelines for
UAV use.

Dam Failure, Flood
Earthquake, Heavy
Precipitation /
Atmospheric River,
Extreme
Heat/Extreme
Cold, High Wind
OES/Fire, Police Local
Budget,
PDM,
HMGP
Long-term Medium
SC-19* Enhance Fire Department field
inspection system using portable
computers for engine company
inspections and Fire Prevention
inspections, to integrate
inspections, re-inspections,
invoicing, permits, CUPA and
business license data.

All Hazards Fire Local
Budget
Ongoing/Short-term Medium
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Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
SC-20* Conduct seismic and functional
assessment of Emergency
Operations Center.

All Hazards,
including
Earthquake
OES/Fire Local
Budget,
HMGP,
PDM
Ongoing/Short-term Medium
SC-21* Acquire emergency generators
for the City’s critical facilities,
specifically Fire Stations 5,7,8
and 9. Citywide Generator
Replacement Program includes
Water well, water tanks, Sewer
Pump Stations, and Storm Pump
Station Sites.

All Hazards,
including Flood,
Heavy Rain, High
Wind, Extreme
Heat, Drought,
Dam Failure,
Wildfire,
Earthquake
Public Works, Water
and Sewer Utilities
Local
Budget,
PDM,
HMGP
Short-term High
SC-22* Maintain and improve Water and
Sewer Utilities, as necessary, to
ensure systems are able to
maintain their functionality in
response to potential hazards
such as drought, flood, or
earthquakes.

Drought, Flood,
Earthquake, Dam
Failure
Water and Sewer
Utilities
Local
Budget,
PDM,
HMGP
Long-term Medium
SC-23* Integrate climate change and
natural hazards planning into
current city plan revisions and
future planning initiatives.

All Hazards,
including Drought,
Extreme Heat,
Wildfire, Heavy
Rain, High Wind,
Flood
Community
Development
Local
Budget
Ongoing/Medium-term Medium
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Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
SC-24* Develop and maintain a
landscape design manual to
provide general guidance and
education to the public on water
efficiency in landscaping and to
serve as a resource for water
efficient landscape design and
installation in compliance with the
State Water Efficiency
Landscape Ordinance (as
amended), including lists of
recommended site appropriate
native and drought-tolerant plant
species.

Drought Community
Development/Water
& Sewer Utilities
Local
Budget
Ongoing/Medium-term High
SC-25* Continue to improve the City’s
bike network in coordination with
partner agencies, such as the
Valley Transportation Authority.

All Hazards Public Works and
Community
Development
Local
Budget
Ongoing Medium
SC-27* Continue to implement and
monitor the current 2022 Climate
Action Plan (CAP) and prepare a
comprehensive update to the
CAP to comply with slate
greenhouse gas reduction
targets. Include adaptation
strategies within the updated
CAP.

All Hazards All City Departments Local
Budget
Ongoing/Medium-
Term
Medium
SC-28* Increase situational awareness
capacity in the EOC by
expanding GIS resources and
providing air to ground
communications.

All Hazards OES/Police Local
Budget,
PDM
Ongoing Medium
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Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
SC-29* Secure all critical infrastructure in
the EOC, the EOC perimeter,
and immediate vicinity.

All Hazards OES/ Police Local
Budget,
PDM
Long-term High
SC-31* Restore the original storage
capacity of the Eastside
Retention Basin to hold additional
storm water and reduce flooding
risk by desilting the basin.

Flood, Heavy Rain Public Works Local
Budget
Long-term Low
SC-32* Laurelwood Storm Pump Station
Rehabilitation: The Project will
modify existing headworks of the
wet well, replace existing pumps
with new, replace pump controls,
improve station configuration,
and rehabilitate existing building
structure to meet current building
codes. The proposed
improvements will help the
station to meet or exceed the
station capacity and improve
efficiency.

All hazards,
including Flood,
Heavy Rain
Public Works Local
Budget
Long-term Medium
1 Complete Anna Drive Storm
Drain Improvement Project.

Flood, Heavy Rain Public Works General
Fund
Short term High
2 Complete Bowers Avenue Storm
Drain Pump Station
Improvement.

Flood, Heavy Rain Public Works General
Fund
Short term High
3 Complete slide gates upgrades
or replacement and number slide
gates at various locations
throughout the City to assist with
pump station operations.

Flood, Heavy Rain Public Works General
Fund
Short term Med
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Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
4 Conduct curb and gutter repairs
or replacement.

Flood, Heavy
Precipitation /
Atmospheric River,
High Wind
Public Works General
Fund,
Bond
Measure
Short-term/Ongoing Low
5 Maintain the urban forest by
pruning healthy trees, removing
unhealthy trees and replenish
and expand it by planting and
watering new trees.

Climate Change,
Drought, Flood,
Heavy Rain,
High Wind,
Extreme Heat,
Wildfire/Smoke/Air
Quality
Public Works General
Fund
Ongoing/Short-term Medium
6 Conduct condition assessment of
storm drain pump station outfalls
and complete associated repair
work.

Flood,
Heavy Rain,
Atmospheric
Rivers
Public Works General
Fund,
Bond
Measure
Short term Medium
7 Maintain gas collection system
and ground water monitoring
wells at the closed all purpose
landfill.

Climate Change,
Wildfire/Smoke/Air
Quality
Public Works Solid
Waste
Fund,
General
Fund
Ongoing/Short-term High
8 Remove dead and overgrown
vegetation from the Tasman
Drainage Swale.

Drought, Wildfire,
Flood
Public Works General
Fund
Ongoing/Short-term Medium
9 Complete Storm Drain
Improvement projects (highest
priorities projects) as identified in
the City's storm drain master
plan.

Flood, Heavy Rain Public Works General
Fund
Ongoing/Medium-term High
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Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
10 Complete the Eastside Retention
Basin Desilting Project.

Flood, Heavy Rain Public Works General
Fund,
Bond
Measure
Short term Medium
11 Continue to identify and utilize
facilities as appropriate for
community information, respite &
distribution centers in the case of
severe hazards and
emergencies.

Climate Change,
Drought, Flood,
Heavy
Precipitation /
Atmospheric River,
Extreme
Heat/Extreme
Cold, High Wind,
Wildfire/Air Quality
OES General
Fund
Ongoing/Medium-term Medium
12 Conduct drought public education
and outreach.

Drought,
Heavy Rain, Heavy
Wind, Extreme
Heat
Water & Sewer
Utilities
Utility
rates
funded
Ongoing/Short-term High
13 Remove tree vegetation near
power lines.

Heavy
Precipitation /
Atmospheric River,
Extreme
Heat/Extreme
Cold, High Wind,
Wildfire/Air Quality
SVP Utility
rates
funded
Ongoing/Short-term High
14 Upgrade aged infrastructure for
major electric receiving stations.

Heavy
Precipitation /
Atmospheric River,
Extreme
Heat/Extreme
Cold, High Wind,
Wildfire/Air Quality
SVP Utility
rates and
Developer
funded
Mid-term High
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Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
15 Ensure sufficient electrical back-
up is available for emergency
response.

Heavy
Precipitation /
Atmospheric River,
Extreme
Heat/Extreme
Cold, High Wind,
Wildfire/Air Quality
SVP Utility
rates
funded
Long term High
16 In coordination with the results of
the City's Pedestrian Masterplan
and draft ADA Transition Plan,
enhance pedestrian safety by
studying and implementing
improvements at uncontrolled
crosswalks in Santa Clara and
improving existing pedestrian
infrastructure.

Transportation
Incidents
Public Works City Gas
Tax or
Grants
Long term Medium
17 In coordination with the results of
the City's Pedestrian Masterplan
and draft ADA Transition Plan,
complete sidewalk network
repairs & gaps within Santa
Clara.

Transportation
Incidents
Public Works City Gas
Tax or
Grants
Long term Medium
18 Eliminate the use of potable
water for non-domestic uses by
extending current recycled water
lines throughout the city,
Pipeline Hazards Water & Sewer
Utilities
Utility
rates
Long term Medium
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Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
19 Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) system
expansion will allow authorized
water technicians to be able to
monitor and operate pumps and
valves remotely. During an
emergency, this can mean
reducing hours of a potential
response time, mitigating and
possibly eliminating damage and
potential emergencies.

Pipeline Hazards Water & Sewer
Utilities
Utility
rates
Mid term High
20 Conduct a tabletop exercise that
supports the Emergency
Response Plan (water and Sewer
dept only).

Pipeline Hazards Water & Sewer
Utilities
Utility
rates
Mid Term Medium
21 Address gaps in data and
missing information within this
Annex for the next plan update.

All Hazards,
including Flood,
Heavy Rain, High
Wind, Extreme
Heat, Drought,
Dam Failure,
Wildfire,
Earthquake
All Departments General
fund
Short term Medium
Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 64
Action Item
Number Action Item Description Hazard(s)
Mitigated
Lead Position,
Office, Department,
or Division
Responsible for
Implementation
Potential
Funding
Sources
Expected Timeline
for Completion Priority
22 Identify facilities to serve as
warming or cooling centers/short-
term severe weather shelters in
an effort to reduce loss of life.

Assist vulnerable populations by
facilitating and also notifying
them about warming
centers/cooling centers (a short-
term emergency shelter that
operates when temperatures or a
combination of precipitation, wind
chill, wind, and temperature
become dangerously inclement).

Heavy
Precipitation, High
Wind, Extreme
Heat/Extreme Cold
OES General
Fund
Ongoing/Medium-term Medium
* Number given to action item in 2017 Santa Clara County Operational Area Hazard Mitigation Plan 1 This type of public education and awareness mitigation action reflects a whole community approach to hazard mitigation. The whole community approach acknowledges the fact that one agency or entity cannot be responsible for emergency management alone but that everyone can play a role in reducing risk and creating a resilient community. By empowering residents, including underserved and vulnerable populations, and private sector partners with the information they need to make risk-based mitigation decisions, the community will help reduce to new and existing structures and infrastructure.

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 65

Figure 6: Santa Clara Critical Facilities

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 66

Figure 7: City of Santa Clara Critical Infrastructure

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Figure 8: City of Santa Clara Flood Hazard Area Map

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Figure 9: City of Santa Clara Deep-Seated Landslide Susceptibility

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Figure 10: City of Santa Clara Liquefaction Susceptibility

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Figure 11: City of Santa Clara Fire Hazard Severity Zones

Santa Clara County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Pla n Volume 2: City of Santa Clara 71

Figure 12: City of Santa Clara Wildfire Hazard Classification

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Figure 13: City of Santa Clara Wildfire Risk to Structures