Staff Report — Simi Valley City Council, June 3, 2024

A2446.SR.MG
C

ITY OF SIMI VALLEY

MEMORANDUM
J
une 3, 2024
TO
: City Council
F
ROM: Department of Public Works
S
UBJECT: ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2024 UPDATE TO

THE PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION PLAN TO BE A PART OF

THE CITY OF SIMI VALLEY NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
I
t is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached R esolution No. 2024 -21 (page 4) adopting the 2024 Update to the Program for Public Information Plan to be part of the City’s participation in the Community Rating System.

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
The
City of Simi Valley has participated in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) since 1991. In 1999, the City joined the Community Rating System (CRS) Program, which provides discounts on flood insurance to affected property owners in the community . The CRS program awards points to communities for administering various activities to reduce and avoid flood damage. On April 22, 2019, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2019-14 adding the Program for Public Information Plan (PPI Plan) to the City’s Community Rating System. The PPI Committee was established by Resolution No. 2019-01 by the City Council on January 14, 2019, and tasked with developing and annually reviewing the adopted PPI Plan.

T
he City ’s current activities have earned sufficient points to achieve a Class 6 community rating affording an insurance premium discount of 20% for all properties within the Special Flood Hazard Area, a total savings of over $216,000 per year for Simi Valley residents. Each CRS class step provides an additional 5% savings on annual flood insurance premiums. The City leverages the points it receives for its existing CRS activities by adopting a PPI Plan.

S
taff manages 12 activities within the CRS program and has historically conducted all of the outreach activities. While the recommended PPI Plan includes additional outreach opportunities, community stakeholders may now assist the effort. If an activity cannot be accomplished, another can be substituted to maintain the City’s CRS class rating.

AGENDA ITEM NO.

Consent (10)
A2446.SR.MG

FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
On April 25, 2024, the PPI Committee met to rev iew the 2024 Update to the PPI plan (Exhibit 1, page 6) and took the following actions:
• Mak
e no changes to the current PPI Plan.
• Continue to conduct an annual review of the PPI Plan. • Recommend that the City Council re-adopt and extend the current plan until the citywide floodplain remapping is completed but to no later than 2029.

The
recommendation to make no changes and extend the current PPI Plan is in response to the current floodplain remapping project in process by the Public Works Department. The first phase of that project affects 20% of the City’s floodplains and is nearly complete. Once approved by FEMA, the first phase should result in a significant reduction in the size of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and the number of structures included. The second phase will cover the entirety of the C ity, is expected to have a proportional impact on the SFHA, and should be completed within three ( 3) years.

Sta
ff anticipates that once the citywide floodplain remapping changes become effective, the number of structures remaining in the SFHA that will benefit from the CRS program may be significantly reduced. At that time, the PPI Program will be revised prior to the five-year update requirement. Therefore, the PPI Committee recommen ds no changes to the current PPI Plan.

Upon C
ity Council adoption of the 2024 Update to the PPI Plan, the CRS Coordinator will submit the plan to FEMA as part of the annual CRS program recertification process.

The
PPI Committee will continue to meet annually to evaluate the implementation of the PPI Plan. The Committee will assess whether the desired outcomes are being achieved and what modifications should be considered.

Th
e PPI Committee recommends adoption of the 2024 Update to the PPI Plan by the City Council, which is a prerequisite for continued CRS credit. The City must update this PPI Plan every five (5) years to maintain CRS credit . Upon the completion of the citywide floodplain remapping project, t he PPI Committee will review and update the PPI Plan and submit it to the City Council for adoption.

Th
e following alternatives are available to the City Council:

1. Adop
t the attached R esolution No. 2024- 21 adopting the 2024 Update to the Program for Public Information Plan (PPI Plan) to be part of the City’s participation in the Community Rating System (CRS) which provides premium discounts for policies in the National Flood Insurance Program;

2. Pr
ovide staff with further direction.
2 A2446.SR.MG
Staff recommends Alternative No. 1.

SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I
move to adopt Resolution No. 2024-21 adopting the 2024 Update to the Program for Public Information Plan (PPI Plan) to be part of the City’s participation in the Community Rating System (CRS).

SUMMARY
T
he City of Simi Valley joined the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1991 and entered the NFIP Community Rating System (CRS) P rogram in 1999. The City currently enjoys a CRS Class 6 rating saving the community over $216 ,000 each year.

Each CRS class step provides an additional 5% savings on annual flood insurance premiums. The City leverages the points it receives for its existing CRS activities through the adoption of a Program for Public Information Plan (PPI Plan). The PPI Committee has reviewed the attached 2024 Update to the PPI Plan to maximize the leveraging of CRS credit and is recommending adoption by the City Council. ___
______________________________
Ronald K. Fuchiwaki
Public Works Director
P
repared by: Brent Siemer, Deputy Public Works Director (Development Services) INDEX Page
R
esolution No. 2024-21 ....................................................................................4 Exhibit 1 – Program for Public Information Plan, dated April 25, 2024…………6 3 A2446.RES.MG
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-21
A

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SIMI VALLEY ADOPTING THE 2024 UPDATE TO THE

PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION PLAN TO BE A
PART OF THE CITY ’S NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
W
HEREAS, the City of Simi Valley (City) entered the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1991; and
W
HEREAS, the City joined the NFIP Community Rating System (CRS) in 1999; and
W
HEREAS, the City is currently a CRS Class 6 rated community affording the community a 20% discount on flood insurance premiums with an annual savings of over $216,000; and
W
HEREAS, the City’s CRS activities include a Program for Public Information (PPI) which earns 200 points that can be multiplied by the adoption of a PPI Plan; and
W
HEREAS, the City Council adopted a resolution adopting the Program for Public Information Plan (PPI Plan) dated March 6, 2019, to be part of the City’s participation in the Community Rating System.

W
HEREAS, The PPI Committee convened on April 27, 2024, to review the PPI Plan and recommends adoption of the 2024 update by the City Council.

W, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIMI VALLEY DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

S
ECTION 1. The City Council does hereby adopt the 2024 Update to the Program for Public Information Plan (PPI Plan) dated April 25, 2024 attached to the June 3, 2024, City Council staff report as Exhibit 1 and incorporated herein by reference, to be part of the City’s participation in the Community Rating System.

S
ECTION 2. The PPI Committee shall continue to meet annually to assess the implementation of the PPI Plan and shall submit an evaluation report to the City Council. Every five years, or immediately after the effective date of a citywide floodplain remapping projec t, the PPI Committee shall prepare a full update of the PPI Plan for adoption by the City Council.
4 A2446.RES.MG
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall cause a certified copy to be filed in the Office of the City Clerk.

PASSED and ADOPTED this 3rd day of June 2024.

Attest:

Lucy Blanco, City Clerk Fred D. Thomas, Mayor of the City of Simi Valley, California

Approved as to Form: Approved as to Content:

Algeria R. Ford, City Attorney Brian Paul Gabler, City Manager

Ronald K. Fuchiwaki
Public Works Director

5 RES. NO. 2024-21
1 2024 UPDATE
TO THE

PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION
(PPI)

CITY OF SIMI VALLEY PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION
APRIL 25, 2024
EXHIBIT 1
6 2

RECORD OF REVISIONS

Date Revision

DATE REVISION
March 6, 2019 PPI Needs Assessment
March 6, 2019 PPI Plan Development
April 8, 2019 PPI Plan Adopted by the City Council
2020 PPI Committee Meeting - Cancelled, COVID-19 Meeting Restrictions 2021 PPI Committee Meeting - Cancelled, COVID-19 Meeting Restrictions April 28, 2022 PPI Committee Meeting - PPI Plan Review
April 27, 2023 PPI Committee Meeting - PPI Plan Review
April 25, 2024 PPI Committee Meeting - PPI Plan Update Review June 3, 2024 2024 Update to the PPI Plan Adopted by the City Council

7 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 5

2.0 PPI Committee .......................................................................................................... 5

2.1 PPI Committee Description ................................................................................... 5

2.2 Partnership Development Strategy ......................................................................... 6

3.0 Public Information Needs Assessment ...................................................................... 7

3.1 Target Areas and Audiences .................................................................................. 7

3.1.1 Priority Areas ....................................................................................................... 8

3.1.2 Priority Audiences ................................................................................................ 9

3.2 Ongoing Public Information Efforts ......................................................................... 9

4.0 Messages and Outcomes ........................................................................................ 10

4.1 Publicity and Dissemination of Messages ............................................................ 11

5.0 PPI Projects ............................................................................................................ 12

6.0 Outreach Initiatives .................................................................................................. 15

6.1 Flood Information Website .................................................................................... 15

6.2 Flood Information Phone Line .............................................................................. 15

6.3 Real Estate Disclosure Program........................................................................... 15

6.4 Flood Protection Assistance and Advisory Service............................................... 16

6.5 Flood Insurance Coverage Improvement and Implementation Plan ..................... 16

6.6 Watershed Master Planning ................................................................................. 17

6.7 Floodplain Management Planning ........................................................................ 17

6.8 Natural Functions Open Space Educational Materials ......................................... 17

6.9 Stream Dumping Regulation ................................................................................ 17

6.10 Emergency Warnings and Notifications .............................................................. 17

7.0 Plan Adoption .......................................................................................................... 18

8.0 Annual Evaluation and Updates .............................................................................. 18

Appendix 1 PPI Committee Meetings ............................................................................ 19 Appendix 2 Ongoing Outreach and Flood Response Projects ...................................... 28 Appendix 3 Activity 330 (Public Outreach) Project Sheets ............................................ 29 Appendix 4 Annual Project Evaluations ......................................................................... 42 Appendix 5 2018 Flood Insurance Coverage Assessment ............................................ 43 Appendix 6 2018 Flood Insurance Promotion Plan ....................................................... 51 Appendix 7 Flood Insurance Technical Assistance ....................................................... 59 Appendix 8 Flood Response Preparations (FRP) Package ........................................... 60 Appendix 9 City Council PPI Plan Adoption .................................................................. 76 Appendix 10 PPI Plan Annual Evaluations .................................................................... 78

8 4

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 PPI Planning Process ....................................................................................... 5 Figure 2 PPI Committee Members, March 2019 ............................................................. 6 Figure 3 Flood Prone Areas ............................................................................................ 8

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Potential Target Audiences ................................................................................ 9 Table 2 PPI Messages & Outcomes.............................................................................. 10

This Program for Public Information Plan has benefited from the PPI Plan created for Pinellas County, Fl. by
Jones Edmunds & Associates, Inc.
324 S. Hyde Park Ave, Suite 250
Tampa, Florida 33606
and
McKiernan Consulting Services LLC
402 Columbia Dr.

Tampa, Florida 33606
dated
September 1, 2016
9 5
Establish a
Program for
Public
Information
Committee
Assess the
Community’s
Public
Information
Needs
Formulate
Messages
Identify
Outreach
Projects to
Convey the
Messages
Examine Other
Public
Information
Initiatives
Prepare and
Adopt the PPI
Document
Implement,
Monitor, and
Evaluate the
Program

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The City of Simi Valley (City) is impacted by riverine and localized flooding in low lying areas. As such, the City has a number of ongoing outreach efforts with goals to increase flood hazard awareness and to motivate actions to reduce flood damage, encourage flood insurance coverage, and protect the natural functions of floodplains.

Additionally, the County of Ventura has outreach centered on flood protection and awareness.

The PPI was introduced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a new planning tool to provide a step -by-step coordinated approach to flood hazard outreach, which the City followed in developing this PPI (Figure 1). The City initiated this Program for Public Information (PPI) Plan in 201 9 to coordinate public information activities and develop activities that will lead to more effective programs.

Figure 1 PPI Planning Process

The City’s purpose in developing this plan is to improve communication with citizens, and to provide information about flood hazards, flood safety, flood insurance, and ways to protect property and natural floodplain functions to those who can benefit f rom it.

Although this information is being effectively shared throughout the City, this program will better coordinate messages and materials, standardize the information being shared, and make it more accessible to City staff as well as the other local governments and agencies within the County.

2.0 PPI COMMITTEE

2.1 PPI COMMITTEE DESCRIPTION

The role of the PPI Committee is to provide input about target audiences, types and delivery of messages, and insight into ongoing efforts in the community. The City PPI committee has members from both inside and outside the local government. Staff from City Public Works, Emergency Services and the City Manager’s Office have been assigned by City Council resolution to work together with active members of the community, including representatives of the insurance industry to develop and 10 6
implement this plan. (Figure 2). Formation of the committee and preparation of the PPI Document followed the steps outlined in the 201 7 CRS Coordinators Manual, Section 330, Developing a Program for Public Information.

The PPI Committee must comply with the California Brown Act which regulates the noticing of public meetings and restricts the communication of committee members outside of those meetings. Therefore, the City staff membe rs are not members of the committee, but are required by City Council resolution to attend all meetings and assist the PPI Committee. For the purposes of state law, the PPI Committee is composed of six (6) city residents who are non -city staff. However, fo r the purposes of CRS, the committee is composed of nine members; the six (6) city resident members noted above and three (3) city staff members. This complies with CRS criteria that at least half of the committee members are from outside the local government. See Figure 2 below for the current PPI Committee membership.

Figure 2 PPI Committee Members, March 2019
Establish affiliation
Name Affiliation
Brent Siemer City Staff, Deputy Public Works Director, Floodplain Manager & CRS Coordinator
Randy White City Staff, Emergency Services Manager
Samantha Argabrite City Staff, Assistant City Manager, Public Information Officer TBD City Resident, Neighborhood Council #1 Representative TBD City Resident, Neighborhood Council #2 Representative TBD City Resident, Neighborhood Council #2 Representative TBD City Resident, Neighborhood Council #3 Representative TBD City Resident, Neighborhood Council #4 Representative Tim Konig City Resident, Farmers Insurance Agent
Mark Richardson City Resident, Banking/Lending Representative

The Committee met twice during the initial development of this plan and will continue to meet annually to monitor and update the plan. The updated plan will then be forwarded to the City Council to receive and file. Every five years, the City Council will adopt a fully updated PPI (to ensure consistency with the current CRS Coordinators Manual.)

2.2 PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

The PPI Partnership Development Strategy is the PPI Committee's plan for identifying and recruiting new committee members to improve upon and facilitate the long -term success of the PPI , and to coordinate with stakeholders to assist with outreach efforts.

The Committee recognizes the importance of having extensive input and partners to ensure appropriate target audiences are receiving the best messages at the right time.

One objective is to increase coordination with the Ventura County Watershed Protection District which has information relative to the County’s floodplain management efforts.

11 7
The second objective is to increase dissemination of time sensitive information. For example, Neighborhood Council representatives can help relay pertinent information, such as the procedure for residents returning to their homes after a flood has occurred.

Although the City’s Flood Response Preparations Package also includes numerous notifications for residents, adding another avenue to relay information will ensure more people are notified and will reinforce the messages. The Members of the PPI Committee will continue to compile a contact list and reach out to active members of the community.

3.0 PUBLIC INFORMATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Each year, the PPI committee considers the City’s potential flood problems, evaluates who needs to be informed about flood related topics, and reviews the inventory of projects that are already underway.

3.1 TARGET AREAS AND AUDIENCES

The City was established October 10 , 1969 . With over 128,000 residents, the City is currently the third largest city within Ventura County . A large portion of development within the City occurred prior to implementation of floodplain management and flood damage prevention requirements in the 1 991. Some of that development occurred in areas that are now classified as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). Structures, such as homes and businesses, that were built prior to the adoption of the first FIRM are considered pre-FIRM and may not have been built above the base flood elevation (BFE).

Properties developed after FIRM adoption are required to be elevated by fill and removed from the SFHA prior to development. The City has not issu ed any building occupancy permits for any new structures within the SFHA since 1991.

However, the conversion of the FIRMs to digital products (D-FIRMs) resulted in minor changes to the D -FIRMs which removed some structures and added others into the SFHA. The structures added by the map modernization process are classified as post- FIRM. These structures were built to the BFE at the time of development, which may have changed after construction. Therefore, some post-FIRM properties may be subject to flood risk as well. The latest FIRMs show 2,225 acres of Special Flood Hazard Area within the city limits (Figure 3).

There are no repetitive loss properties within the City. These are properties for which two or more claims of more than $1,000 have been paid by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) within any 10-year period since 1991. Many of the properties that do not fall into the SFHA and are in FIRM low -risk areas, where only a severe precipitation (500-year storm), may generate flooding.

12 8

Figure 3 Flood Prone Areas

3.1.1 PRIORITY AREAS

The City does not have any significant storm damage history to use as priority areas.

Paid damage claims for the past 40 years (Appendix 5, 2018 Flood Insurance Coverage Assessment) is the next best source to i dentify priority areas. However, these claims have been minimal compared to the total premiums paid, and have shown no pattern .

In contrast with the nation, 69% of all paid claims with the City for this same period have been for structures outside the SFHA (well over twice the national average).

Therefore, the priority areas for the City are:

1. Properties wholly or partially within the SFHA – These properties have the highest potential for damages in the following order:
a. Properties with structures wholly or partially within the SFHA b. Properties with structure outside the SFHA given their proximity to the SFHA
c. Properties with structures having an effective LOMA . These structures are often just at or just above the base flood elevation and are still at risk o f flooding.

2. Properties wholly outside the SFHA – The extremely high number of NFIP claims paid outside the City’s SFHA suggest potential for damages in the following order:
a. Properties with structures downslope from potential burn areas ( due to mud and/or debris flow potential)
b. Properties with structures in close proximity to the SFHA c. Properties with structures in close proximity to natural watercourses that could be easily obstructed with debris of any sort.
13 9
d. Properties with an effective LOMR -Fill that rely on stormwater detention facilities to mitigate flood hazard.

3.1.2 PRIORITY AUDIENCES

Based on the flooding and development information described above, the Committee identified the residents and businesses within these areas as target audiences to wh om projects should be directed. A list of potential target audiences is described in Table 1.

Table 1 Potential Priority Audiences

1 Residents, Tenants and Businesses in the Special Flood Hazard Area This audience should become aware of their high risk. Insurance is strongly recommended and often required.
2 Residents, Tenants and Businesses in moderate to low risk flood areas (Shaded X zones)
This audience should understand that there is still a potential for flood damage and insurance is recommended. Nationwide, these areas submit over 20% of NFIP claims and receive one-third of disaster assistance for flooding. 3 Real Estate Professionals, Insurance Agents, and/or Lenders These professionals are in contact with clients that are purchasing or renting properties. They will benefit from flood related outreach, and may relay information to their clients.
4 Architects, Contractors and Builders
This audience should be kept apprised of floodplain regulations and available City services tocommunicate information about flood risk to their clients. 5 Customers of City Services
There is an opportunity inform people that are calling or visiting City offices, using the City's website or receiving utility bills.
6 English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Informational material should be made available in languages other than English to ensure the ESOL is informed about flooding.
7 School District Students and Parents
Students will likely take the flood risk message home to parents.

Description

3.2 ONGOING PUBLIC INFORMATION EFFORTS

The City and other governmental agencies have an array of ongoing flood-related public information activities. Each year, the PPI Committee evaluates the existing flood information and flood response outreach efforts that are being implemented throughout the County, including the PPI projects. The Co mmittee may add, modify, or remove 14 10
projects to the PPI as appropriate to ensure to ensure the community at large is receiving pertinent information and PPI messages are adequately reaching the identified target audiences. Sections 5 and 6 detail the effort s that have been incorporated into the City of Simi Valley PPI. Appendix 2 contains the inventory of 201 9 flood related outreach projects. The evaluation of these and future projects will be found in Appendix 4.

4.0 MESSAGES AND OUTCOMES

Outreach campai gn messages must be accurate and concise to result in action and positive outcomes. The PPI Committee used the information from the public information needs assessment to develop specific topics, messages, and expected outcomes based on the NFIP CRS floodp lain management topics. The Committee also identified three additional topics with messages and outcomes for flood information projects that are implemented throughout the year (Table 2). The City also has pre -scripted key messages that are disseminated be fore, during, and after a flood (Appendix 5). These messages are reviewed by the Committee annually and are relayed via flood warning and response outreach tools, which are detailed in the Flood Response Preparations Package (Appendix 5).

Table 2 PPI Messages & Outcomes

1 Know your flood
hazard A2 Stay Connected a2 Better prepared and informed residents and businesses
2 Insure your
property for
flood hazard
B1
Purchase flood insurance for
your home, business, or
rental.
b1 Increase in number of flood
insurance policies.
3 Protect people
from the hazard C1 Stay Connected c1 Reduce number of rescue calls
3 Protect people
from the hazard C2 Turn Around Don't Drown c2 Reduce number of rescue calls
4 Protect your
property from
hazard
D1
Keep debris and trash out of
the streets, streams, and
ditches.
d1 Reduced localized flooding
4 Protect your
property from
hazard
D2 Clear storm drains to prevent
flooding. d2 Reduced localized flooding
4 Protect your
property from
hazard
D3
Elevate your equipment, such
as water heaters, AC units,
etc.
d3 Reduced property loss from
flooding
5 Build
responsibly E1 Find out what permits are
required. e1 Increased compliance and
reduced flood loss
5 Build
responsibly E2
Get required permits before
you start any home repair,
improvement, or construction
e2 Increased compliance and
reduced flood loss

15 11
Table 2 PPI Messages & Outcomes (cont.)
Topic Priority
Audience Message Outcome
5 Build
responsibly E3 Be aware of the substantial
improvement rules. e3 Increased compliance and
reduced flood loss
6 Protect natural
floodplain
functions
F1 Drains to Arroyo Simi f1 Improvement in water quality and natural storage capacity
6 Protect natural
floodplain
functions
F2
Use Low Impact Development
(LID), such as rain barrels,
bioretention systems, green
roofs, pervious pavers, and
vegetative buffers on your
property
f2 Improvement in water quality
and natural storage capacity
7 General
preparedness G1 Get a Plan g1 Less damage and injury from a storm
7 General
preparedness G2 Prepare Ahead g2 Less damage and injury from a storm
8 Flood
Economics H1 Find out how much flood
damage could cost you. h1 Increase in awareness of the
expense of flooding.
8 Flood
Economics H2 Determine your loss potential
at www.floodtools.com h2 Increase in number of flood
insurance policies.
9 Understand
flood insurance I1
Simi Valley has a proactive
Floodplain Management
Program and participates in
the NFIP CRS, you may get a
discount on your flood
insurance premium.
i1 More accurate policy ratings
9 Understand
flood insurance I2 Take advantage of a
Preferred Risk policy i2 More preferred risk policies
9 Understand
flood insurance I3
Check with your flood
insurance agent to make sure
your flood insurance policy is
rated correctly and you are
receiving the correct CRS
discount.
i3 More accurate policy ratings
Standard CRS Messages
ADDITIONAL CRS Messages
e

4.1 PUBLICITY AND DISSEMINATION OF MESSAGES

Today, most people are looking to the internet for information in lieu of traditional sources of information like newspapers or magazines. They are using search engines for specific information and social media threads for answers to posted questions and news. People have come to expect instant answers when they search for information.

The internet is more popular than newspapers and radio as a news source, ranking just behind TV.

16 12
Various communities within the CRS conduct citizen surveys to rank and rate a number of things, including how well the community performs at providing information .

Respondents indicate the extent to which they used various information sources about community issues, services and programs. Survey results often indicate that word of mouth, the community website, and newspaper (online or print) are the preferred ways to receive information. Social media has the greatest increase in use in recent years, while use of newspapers, radio, and television for information are on the decline.

The PPI Committee may consider a local survey at some point in the future to determine the best possible methods to disseminate messages in routine and emergency situations. However, the PPI Committee does not have a budget for such surveys and must rely on the anecdotal experience of other CRS communities for now.

Therefore, the Committee concluded that the most effective way to reach the community at large is through a combination of communication tools, including:

 City of Simi Valley Flood Information Website
 Informational materials displayed at static locations  Staffed information booths with materials at publicly advertised events  Direct mail to select target audiences

To conserve both environmental and financial resources, the use of print materials will be reduced , will contain succinct information , and direct residents to the flood information website for additional information. This combination of outreach will relay pertinent information to residents and businesses, including how they will be they will be warned and the safety measures they should take during a flood and about the City regulation that prohibits dumping in waterways. This combination of communication tools will also publicize flood related services, including flood map information, property protection assistance, and flood insurance guidance to the entire community.

5.0 PPI PROJECTS

Based on the public information needs assessment (Section 3), the PPI Committee identified new, or improvements to existing, general flood information projects to increase flood awareness and motivate residents to take action. General outreach projects include:

1. Flood Information Brochures

2. Curb Placards

3. Annual Letter to Property Owners Within the SFHA

4. Informational Presentations to the Neighborhood Council

5. Information Booths at Community Events

6. Annual Flood Preparedness Week Proclamation

Media publications such as newspaper articles are tracked and included on the Activity 330 Outreach Projects Worksheet when they occur. These publications are irregular 17 13
and normally only happen during higher rainfall year. It is not appropriate to rely on this reactive outreach for CRS credit. However, there are opportunities for the City to become proactive through the local media. See Appendix 6 Flood Insurance Promotion Plan for outreach projects of this nature.

All of the PPI projects noted above are directly related to CRS activities and serve to publicize many flood related services offered by the City (Section 6). These projects will be disseminated in multiple ways to multiple audiences on an annual or more frequent basis. A comprehensive project sheet including a detailed project description, audience(s), topic(s), message(s), outcome(s), related CRS activities and services, schedule, project administrator, and stakeholder(s) for each of these PPI projects is in Appendix 3, Activity 330 (Public Outreach) Project Sheets.

The Committee also identified new, or improvements to existing, public information activities prepared in advance of the next flood. There are key messages that need to be disseminated before, during, and after a flood. The City’s flood response messages and the tools used to disseminate them are consolidated into a Flood Warning and Response Preparations Package (Appendix 5). The messages and dissemination tools in this package are centered on flood warning and response. They were prepar ed in advance, and will not be delivered until a flood is impending or occurs. The procedures for implementing the materials should be followed in accordance with the City’s Emergency Management Warning and Notification Standard Operations Guidance. The procedures and project materials are reviewed annually and updated as needed.

The following projects are included in the Flood Response Preparations Package:

 Press Release
 Media Alert
 Nixle
 Social Media
o Facebook
o NextDoor
o Twitter

These tools will be used to disseminate select flood warning and response messages on an as-needed basis depending on the time and type of event.

18 14

Activity 330 Outreach Projects Worksheet

1.Know Hazard

2.Insure Property

3.Protect People

4.Protect Property

5.Build Responsible

6.Natural Floodplain

7.Gen. Preparedness

8. Flood Economics

9.Flood Insurance

10. Extra PPI Topic
Count
PPI?

PPI (OP)
STK?

STK (OP)
1-1a Simi Valley Library Display - English 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 y 3.6 1-1b Simi Valley Library Display - Spanish 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 y 3.6 1-2a City Hall Display - English 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 y 3.6 1-2b City Hall Display - Spanish 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 y 3.6 1-3a Senior Center Display - English 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 y 3.6 1-3b Senior Center Display - Spanish 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 y 3.6 1-4a Insurance Awarness Flyer - Insurance
Agency Sponsored 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 7 y 2.8 y 2.1
2 Curb Placards - Existing Citywide 2 1 1 1 2 y 0.8
3 Annual SFHA Property Owner Letter 6 * 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 54 y 21.6 4 Annual Neighborhood Council Presentation 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 9 216 y 86.4 y 2.7 5-1 Annual Information Booth - Living Green
Expo 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 9 0 y 0.0
5-2 Annual Information Booth -Emergency Expo 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 9 0 y 0.0 6 Annual California Flood Preparedness
Week Presentation 2 1 1 1 2 4 y 1.6
Max. Points 337 134 4.0
Multipliers
OP# Outreach Projects
Points per Topic
Topics Covered
Times per Year
OP

NOTE *: The insurance topic credit for the Activity 370 outreach projects listed in Appendix 6 Flood Insurance Promotion Plan are not included in the 330 Outreach Project Worksheet. A separate tally of those credits are shown in Appendix 6. 19 15

6.0 OUTREACH INITIATIVES

6.1 FLOOD INFORMATION WEBSITE

The City of Simi Valley Flood Information website was developed in 2013 as part of CRS recertification. The content includes City services and regulations. Static links are provided to the Ventura County Watershed Protection District website for r eal-time stream gage information.

The City has an opportunity to obtain additional CRS credit if its website were to become more robust rather than rely on links to county and FEMA sources. Additional credit would be provided if it included descriptions of the outreach projects listed in this PPI Plan.

6.2 FLOOD INFORMATION PHONE LINE

The City of Simi Valley designated a phone number for all flood information phone calls, 805-583-6786, which is displayed on the flood information website.

6.3 REAL ESTATE DISCLOSURE PROGRAM

State of California Civil Code Section 1103 requires sellers and their real estate agents to inform potential purchasers of properties within the SFHA of the hazard. However, the code is written loosely and only requires such notification if the seller or ag ent “has actual knowledge.” This discourages these parties from making inquiry to attain that knowledge which might harm the sale of the property.

There is a joint Real Estate Agents Disclosure Program between the County of Ventura County Coastal Associat ion of Realtors. Real estate agents are in an ideal position to inform buyers whether a property is in a flood zone and if flood insurance is required.

While this realtor association does not reach Simi Valley, some 30 miles inland, it may be worth identifying an association that does.

As a future project, the PPI Committee identified potential initiatives:

 Real Estate Disclosure and Flood Information Brochure  Real Estate Disclosure and Flood Map Information Service Training

With input from representati ves of a local realtor association, the City could develop a real estate-centered flood disclosure and information brochure with a fillable section for agents to enter the property's flood hazard and insurance requirement information. A flyer could also be developed, distributed by the same realtor a ssociation, to publicize the brochure. Real estate agents would then advise house hunters about the flood hazard and provide the brochure to clients interested in purchasing properties located in 20 16
the SFHA. Potential buyers would then be made aware of the flood hazard and the flood insurance purchase requirement.

6.4 FLOOD PROTECTION ASSISTANCE AND ADVISORY SERVICE

The City of Simi Valley Development Services staff provides one-on-one consultations, and site vis its as appropriate, to advise inquirers about property protection measures, such as retrofitting techniques and drainage improvements. The objectives of i ncluding the City’s Flood Protection Assistance Advisory Program in this PPI are to:

 Increase awareness and use of the service
 Enhance mitigation information provided

This will increase the likelihood that residents will undertake activities to reduce the flood hazard to their property and, in turn, could decrease property loss due to flooding.

Those mos t likely to experience flooding and benefit from this assistance include residents and businesses in repetitive loss areas.

Staff providing this service could discuss flood mitigation options and recommend discussing retrofit options further with their i nsurance agent. Staff could also urge inquirers to work closely with design professionals. Staff should also offer appropriate supplemental materials to inquirers.

The City’s Floodplain Manager or his representative will provide this service. The Deputy P ublic Works Director currently serves as the Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator and is a registered civil engineer and a Certified Floodplain Manager. Staff serving as a representative to the Floodplain Manager shall be a registered civil engineer with FEM A training in managing development within floodplains. The Floodplain Manager and representatives will maintain knowledge in structural and non- structural flood protection and mitigation measures, including flood insurance. Additional assistance can be pro vided by a combination of City offices to secure a range of expertise, such as a building official who knows retrofitting measures.

The advice provided will be provided one -on-one, i.e., by talking directly to the person making the inquiry, either face -to-face or over a telephone. The Services will be publicized annually by a letter directed all properties wholly and partially with in the floodplain. Records of the service will be separately kept for both inquires and on -site assistance.

6.5 FLOOD INSURANC E COVERAGE IMPROVEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

In addition to educating the public about flood protection, building flood control and mitigation projects, and regulating new development in the floodplain to protect people from the consequences of flooding , flood insurance can help protect the County’s residents and businesses. Although many of the PPI outreach projects have messages 21 17
centered on flood insurance, there is a need to assess the level of flood insurance coverage in the City and develop a Covera ge Improvement Plan and Coverage Implementation Plan to better target residents and businesses that would benefit from flood insurance. The plan includes specific projects that publicize the availability of flood insurance and its importance as a preparedn ess measure. The flood insurance providers on the PPI Committee prepared Coverage Improvement (Appendix 5) and Coverage Implementation (Appendix 6) Plans which the PPI Committee reviewed.

These flood insurance providers also serve as voluntary insurance advocates to the City to provide assistance and answer questions about flood insurance (Appendix 7).

6.6 WATERSHED MASTER PLANNING

Development of a Watershed Master Plan is a prerequisite for CRS Class 4. The plan has been prepared by Public Works staff; h owever, FEMA review of the draft plan took issue with Ventura County’s method of modeling hydrology. This same methodology is the basis for the mapping of the SFHA. Once this issue is settled, the plan will be submitted to FEMA for formal approval.

6.7 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT PLANNING

Development of a Floodplain Management Plan is also prerequisite for CRS Class 4.

This plan requires public involvement in its preparation and a series of public meetings prior to adoption. The PPI Committee will be invaluable in creating the plan for public outreach necessary for development of this plan. However, this plan is in suspense until the issues with the Watershed Master Plan are addressed.

6.8 NATURAL FUNCTIONS OPEN SPACE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

There are a number of parks and open space areas within the City that provide natural floodplain functions. The Arroyo Greenway Project along the Arroyo Simi provides a pedestrian and bicyclist friendly venue with interpretive displays to educate visitors about the importance of floodplains.

6.9 STREAM DUMPING REGULATION

The City has and enforces a regulation that prohibits dumping or disposal of debris in the drainage system. In addition to the placards attached to all catch basins on public streets, l andscapers were identi fied as the target audiences to be notified about the regulation. Landscapers are in a position to prevent materials from getting into the City’s natural floodplains and drainage and conveyance systems. See Appendix 3 Activity 330 (Public Outreach) Project Sheet OP#2 Curb Placards.

6.10 EMERGENCY WARNINGS AND NOTIFICATIONS

The extent of the damage caused by a flood is related not just to its severity, but also the level of public awareness and preparedness, early warning systems, and 22 18
dissemination of timely and effective information to the public. As such, the City’s efforts to reduce flood loss are focused on education and outreach, early warning systems, and distributing information that enables people and communities to respond when severe weather hits.

The City’s annual flood outreach informs the public about flood zones , how they will be warned and the safety measures they should take, should a flooding event occur. The most effective way to reach the community at large is through a combination of communication tools (Section 4.1) . Therefore, this information is provided to the public throughout the year via the City’s website, social media and Nixel.

The City’s Emergency Management (EM) participates with the National Weather Service (NWS) alert system, an automated flood warning system, as its primary means of notification of impending flood. City EM staff evaluate each NWS notification and respond as appropriate, which may include notifying emergency management partners, the media, and/or residents via one or more of the County’s several notification avenues.

The City of Simi Valley Flood Warning and Response Preparations Package (Appendix 5) includes numerous messages and outreach projects that are prepared in advance, but not implemented until a flood is impending or occurs. The public will be warned via numerous Flood Warning and Response Preparations outreach projects, such as press releases, Nixel and social media.

7.0 PLAN ADOPTION

This initial PPI Plan was adopted by the City Council on Apr il 8, 2009. See Appendix 9 City Council PPI Plan Adoption for the resolution of adoption.

8.0 ANNUAL EVALUATION AND UPDATES

The PPI Committee meets at least once per year to assess the implementation of the outreach projects. The Committee evaluates the PPI for the effectiveness of its projects, audiences, messages, and outcomes. The committee reviews each project identified the previous year and evaluates which projects need to be modified and may refine the messages as needed to increase the effectiven ess to existing audiences or to reach new audiences. The PPI document is updated each year and the annual evaluation summary is included as an appendix in the document (Appendix 4).

Each year, t he PPI Committee evaluates each project and the need for addi tional projects. The evaluation (Appendix 4) will then be submitted to the City Council as a review and file item. Every five (5) years, the PPI Committee will complete a thorough update of the plan for re-adoption by the City Council. 23 19

APPENDIX 1

PPI COMMITTEE MEETINGS

March 6, 2019 MEETING MINUTES
PPI Needs Assessment

1. Call to Order/Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance
Deputy Public Works Director, Brent Siemer, called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., and confirmed a quorum was present.
2019-20 Program for Public Information (PPI) Committee
Neighborhood Councils (NC) Alternates
P Kiran Khandare* – NC #1 E Shawne Brooks* – NC #1
E Phil Englander* – NC #2 P Pam Campeau* – NC #2
P Janie Trice* – NC #3 P Jim Woods* – NC #3
P Gloria Bowman* – NC#4 P Sherri Rangel* – NC #4
Chamber of Commerce
P = Present
E = Excused
A = Absent

* indicates Simi Valley Resident

P Tim Koning*
P Mark Richardson*
City Staff
P Brent Siemer*
P Samantha Argabrite*
P Randy White
Guests: Emily George, City of Simi Valley Counter Services Technician ; George Bowman, Resident and Contractor ; Teresa Jordan, Resident; and Ryan Ketcham, Moorpark College Journalism Student.

2. Introductions
All meeting participants and attendees gave a brief introduction. 24 20

3. Agenda Review
The agenda was approved as presented.

4. Correspondence
Brent Siemer reported correspondence was received from resident Teresa Jordan providing helpful clarifications for the Program for Public Information (PPI) Plan document. Brent Siemer prepared two letters in response to Teresa Jordan’s comments. The PPI Committee received copies of all correspondence via email.

5. Public Statements/Comments
No public statements/comments were made.

6. Informal Presentation
a. Community Rating System (CRS) Primer
Brent Siemer discussed the N ational Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which establishes federally backed flood insurance , and is intended to protect properties from a 1% chance of flooding . Federal Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) were developed to show properties within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) , and may be viewed online at
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home.

The CRS is under the umbrella of the NFIP, and pertains to the discount a community receives on federally backed flood insurance. By participating in specific CRS outreach projects, such as the PPI Committee, the City earns points to increase the CRS rating and provide additional insurance savings for the community.

7. New Business
a. CRS Program for Public Information Plan – Plan Assessment i. Assess Community Public Information Needs

Brent Siemer shared that individuals who are in the SFHA and unaware they’re at risk for a flooding event (ex. renters, homes without a mortgage, homes purchased prior to the establishment of the FIRMs) would be the ones who would benefit most from receiving flood insurance and preparedness information. 25 21

ii. Identify Priority Areas (Section 3)
Brent Siemer indicated priority areas have historically been properties wholly or partially within the SFHA, however, the extremely high number of NFIP claims paid outside the City’s SFHA suggest additional areas are at risk.

iii. Assess Flood Insurance Coverage (Appendix 5)
Brent Siemer referred the Committee to review page 43 of the PPI Plan document. The City of Simi Valley has been paying out more in flood insurance premiums than they have received actual paid claims. The figures indicate the current flood zone in Simi Valley is too generous, and the City is working toward getting new FIRMs.

As of the week of February 25, 2019, Ventura County provided the City with a Geographical Information System layer that shows the structures within the City that may be at risk of flooding. iv. Determine Priority Audiences (Section 3)

Brent Siemer presented a slide of target audiences, and showed the PPI Committee a copy of the current mailer sent to every property within the SFHA. Committee M embers suggested
simplifying the mailer to increase vi sual appeal. Brent Siemer suggested looking for a community stakeholder to sponsor, create and distribute the flyer for future mailings.

Janie Trice , NC#3 Committee Member, suggested providing information to architects, contracts and b uilders should be a higher priority since they’ re pulling permits and working directly with homeowners. Brent Siemer agreed the City could look into moving the flyers currently available at the Public Works Counter over to Building and Safety.

Gloria Bowman, NC #4 Committee Member, suggested sending information home with school children, and reaching out to the PTA President to pass along information to each PTA representative.

Kiran Khandare, NC #1 Committee Member, stated the schools send out a weekly PDF to parents with information, and he would ask his daughter’ s school if they’d include flood preparedness messages in their email communications.
26 22

Samantha Argabrite, Deputy City Manager & PIO , confirmed a flood preparedness message could be include d on water bills to Ventura County Waterworks District No. 8 customers , however, there would be an associated cost to consider.

v. Inventory Other Initiatives/Publicity/Surveys (Appendix 2)

Brent Siemer stated he is unaware of any other agency that is currently promoting a message regarding floods.

A. City of Simi Valley

B. Other Public Agencies

i. Ventura County Watershed Protection District

C. Organizations

D. Companies

10. Adjournment: Wednesday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Deputy Public Works Director Brent Siemer adjourned the meeting at 7:22 p.m.

27 23
March 6, 2019 MEETING MINUTES
PPI Plan Development

2. Call to Order/Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance/Introductions Deputy Public Works Director, Brent Siemer, called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m., and confirmed a quorum was present.
2019-20 Program for Public Information (PPI) Committee
Neighborhood Councils (NC) Alternates
P Kiran Khandare* – NC #1 E Shawne Brooks* – NC #1
E Phil Englander* – NC #2 P Pam Campeau* – NC #2
P Janie Trice* – NC #3 P Jim Woods* – NC #3
P Gloria Bowman* – NC#4 P Sherri Rangel* – NC #4
Chamber of Commerce
P = Present
E= Excused
A = Absent

* indicates Simi Valley Resident

2. Agenda Review
The agenda was approved as presented.

3. Correspondence
28 24
Brent Siemer reported correspondence was received from resident Teresa Jordan providing helpful clarifications for the Program for Public Information (PPI) Plan document. Brent Siemer prepared two letters in respon se to Teresa Jordan’s comments. The PPI Committee received copies of all correspondence via email.

4. Public Statements/Comments
No public statements/comments were made.

5. Informal Presentation
a. PPI Plan Assessment Findings
Brent Siemer informed the PPI Committee that this meeting will be held annually as a PPI Plan evaluation. The PPI Plan will have to be updated every five years, and will require two separate meetings. The first meeting will allow the PPI Committee to provide PPI Plan content updates, and a second meeting to review the revised version of the PPI Plan.

6. New Business
b. CRS Program for Public Information Plan – Plan Development i. Review Community Public Information Needs

Brent S iemer reiterated the Community Public Information N eeds would be preparedness messages to the tar get audience. The target audience is individuals who are unaware they’re at risk and in the SFHA (ex. renters, homes without a mortgage, homes purchased prior to the establishment of the FIRMs).

ii. Formulate Messages/Outcomes

1. Standard CRS Topics

Brent Siemer informed the PPI Committ ee that the NFIP
CRS required messages are as follows: know your flood
hazard, insure your property for flood hazard, protect your property from hazard, build responsibly and protect natural floodplain functions.
29 25

2. Additional Topics

a. General Preparedness

Collaborate with the Community Emergency
Response Team (CERT) Program to encourage
residents to think about safety in general (ex. getting an emergency plan together).

b. Flood Economics

Provide information to residents advising them of the
costs associated with flood loss vs, cost of in surance premiums.

c. Understanding Flood Insurance

Brent Siemer stated Simi Valley residents have paid
far more in insurance premiums than they’ve received
back in claims paid. PIO Samantha Argabrite
highlighted the fact that people may have incurred
damages from flooding but without flood insurance
there would be no recovery for losses and no way for
the City to know about the damage.

Committee Member Tim Koning also mentioned 69%
of paid claims in the City are outside the SFHA. The
goal of a flood insuran ce promotion is to make
residents aware of this risks associated with flood
hazards so they may make informed decisions about
purchasing policies . A home is more likely to flood
than it is to burn, which is part of the reason why flood insurance is purchased under a separate policy.

Committee Member Mark Richardson suggested that
since 69% of paid claims have been outside the
SFHA, then the PPI C ommittee may want to consider
this group a high priority target audience.

30 26
iii. Identify Outreach Projects to Convey the Messages

1. Flood Insurance Promotion Plan

The definition of a flood is two or more properties inundated with water. A Flood Insurance Promotion Plan would
encourage people to purchase and maintain f lood insurance to assist in protecting themselves and their property.

The PPI Committee discussed various outreach methods
including flood brochures, displays in City Hall, messages on water bills, working with Emergency Services Manager
Randy White on general preparedness messages, social
media, etc. that include the CRS required topics.

2. Program for Public Information

The PPI C ommittee reviewed the various outreach methods outlined in the PPI Plan including letters to target audience , participation in Flood Preparedness Week, posting slides on SVTV, FEMA ads in the local Cinemas, Nixel community
message, City websites, Twitter, recruiting community
stakeholders to sponsor messa ges, contests or create
brochures. Committee Member Kiran Kha ndare suggested
approaching schools with electronic message boards to see if they’d be willing to include flood preparedness m essages on their boards . Alternate Jim Woods suggested providing Public Service Announcements to the Star and/or Acorn.

Samantha Argabrite suggested collaborating with the Simi Valley H2O website to bring awareness to people concerned about water related issues. Randy White also reported the Nextdoor app has been used succe ssfully for CERT
recruitment, and may be a good tool to use as well.

City Staff will be working on outreach items for the Summer and will be communicating with the PPI Committee via email.

The hope is to coincide all efforts with Flood Preparedness in October. Repetitive messages to residents are key.

ACTION: A motion to recommend the PPI Plan to the City Council for adoption was made by Janie Trice and seconded by Sherri Rangel.
31 27
PPI Committee vote: 9 Ayes; 0 Noes; 0 Abstentions The motion passed.

7. Adjournment: Future date to be determined by PPI Committee.

Deputy Public Works Director Brent Siemer adjourned the meeting at 8:44 p.m.

32 28
APPENDIX 2

ONGOING OUTREACH AND FLOOD RESPONSE PROJECTS

2019-2020 Flood Information Outreach Projects

City Projects
Ongoing PPI Projects

1. Brochure Displays: City Hall, Senior Center & City Library

2. Storm Drain Marking Projects

3. Annual Flood Information SFHA Property Owner Flyer Mailing

4. Annual Targeted Outreach – Community Groups, HOAs, etc.

5. Annual Information Booths – Living Green & Emergency Preparedness Expos

6. Annual California Flood Preparedness Week Proclamation

Stakeholder Projects
Ongoing PPI Projects

1. Private Sector – The City has not been able to identify any flood information outreach projects being conducted by any private sector entity. The closest “match” are companies that participate in the City’s Emergency Expo each year.

However, their messages are directed towards general products and noting was noted that approaches a flood awareness message.

2. Media – The various media available to City residents is primarily directed towards news events. Occasionally, articles will include appropriate messages and those are tracked and recorded on the Activity 330 Worksheet. However, none of the media outlets conduct proactive flood awareness messaging on an annual basis.

3. Public Sector

a. Ventura County Watershed Protection District (VCWPD) – The VCWPD conducts a CRS program; however, their outreach activities are directly solely to unincorporated areas of the county.

b. Caltrans – The City has not discovered any outreach projects by this agency.

c. Other Public Agencies – The City has not discovered any outreach projects or activities conducted by any other public agency.

33 29

APPENDIX 3
ACTIVITY 330 (PUBLIC OUTREACH) PROJECT SHEETS

OP#1 – Brochure Displays

Description:

The Floodplain Manager maintains a continual display of FEMA brochures are maintained in City Hall and the Senior Center in both English and Spanish. These documents are also available in the City Library and are included in their document index.

Topics and messages:

Topic Message Outcome
1 Know your flood
hazard A1 Find out your flood
risk. a1
Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
2 Insure your property
for flood hazard B1
Purchase flood
insurance for your
home, business, or
rental.
b1
Increase in number of
flood insurance
policies.
3 Protect people from
the hazard C2 Turn Around Don't
Drown c2 Reduce number of
rescue calls
4 Protect your property
from hazard D2 Clear storm drains to
prevent flooding. d2 Reduced localized
flooding
5 Build responsibly E1 Find out what permits
are required. e1 Increased compliance
and reduced flood loss
6 Protect natural
floodplain functions F1 Drains to Arroyo Simi f1
Improvement in water
quality and natural
storage capacity

Priority Area(s): 1 & 2

Priority Audience(s): 5

When: Continual Display

By Whom: Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator

34 30

35 31

OP#2 – Curb Placards

Description:

The City Maintenance Division maintains placards on all publ ic storm drain catch basins. The Floodplain Manager requires installation of these placards on all new storm drain catch basins constructed by private developers.

Topics and messages:

Topic Message Outcome
6 Protect natural
floodplain functions F1 Drains to Arroyo Simi f1 Improvement in water quality and natural

Priority Area(s): 1 & 2

Priority Audience(s): 1, 2,3,4,7

When: Continual Display

By Whom:

Existing Installations – Public Works Maintenance Services

New Installations - Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator ensures that installation of placards on all new catch basins is required as a condition of approval for private development projects.

36 32

OP#3 – Annual Letter to Property Owners

Description:

The Floodplain Manager sends a letter to all property owners within the SFHA to provide succinct information on th e CRS priority topics and publicity for flood related City services and regulations. The letter was written so readers can quickly grasp the main points and are directed to the flood information website and/or staff for additional information.

Topics and messages:

Topic Message Outcome
1 Know your flood
hazard A1 Find out your flood
risk. a1 Better prepared and
informed residents and
2 Insure your property
for flood hazard B1 Purchase flood
insurance for your b1 Increase in number of
flood insurance
3 Protect people from
the hazard C2 Turn Around Don't
Drown c2 Reduce number of
rescue calls
4 Protect your property
from hazard D2 Clear storm drains to
prevent flooding. d2 Reduced localized
flooding
5 Build responsibly E1 Find out what permits
are required. e1 Increased compliance
and reduced flood loss
6 Protect natural
floodplain functions F1 Drains to Arroyo Simi f1 Improvement in water quality and natural

The annual letter also informs recipients of the following City services:
 Determination is specific properties/structures are in the SFHA  On-site Flood protection services
 Channel and storm drain maintenance
 Illegal dumping enforcement
 Base Flood Elevation information
 Floodproofing and structure elevating information
 Substantial improvement standards information
 Grading permit information
 Procedures for property damage repair

Priority Area(s): 1 & 2

Priority Audience(s): 1, 2,3,4,7

When: Continual Display

By Whom: Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator 37 33

38 34

OP#4 – Targeted Outreach – Home Owners Association and/or Business Group
Description:

The CRS Coordinator contacts various homeowner associations that fall within the SFHA with an offer to make a flood awareness presentation. In addition, opportunities arise with various business groups (i.e. Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Board of Realtors). If the HOA sponsors and hosts the meeting, they become a stakeholder.

Topics and messages:

Priority Area(s): 1

Priority Audience(s): 1,2

When: Once per year

By Whom: Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator

39 35

OP#4 – Targeted Outreach – Neighborhood Councils

Description:

Every three years, the Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator makes a presentation to each of the four City Neighborhood Councils. This coincides with the 3-year terms of the appointed executive council members. There are up to 13 appointed executive members on each Neighborhood Council.

Each Neighborhood Council represents approximately 25% of the City’s population.

Executive Council Members often go door -to-door to hand out flyers announcing specific items to be considered at th eir next meeting. These flyers could be delivered to various priority audiences in priority areas each year as the need arises.

Initially, presentations were made to all four Neighborhood Councils in the same year.

However, a representative of each executive council now serves on the PPI Committee and can communicate these messages at any time during the year as the opportunity arises. Therefore, a single presentation by the Floodplain Manager/ CRS Coordinator will be made each year to the Neighborhood Councils on a rotating basis.

Topics and messages:

Priority Area(s): 1 & 2

Priority Audience(s): 1,2

When: Once per year

By Whom: Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator

40 36

OP#5 – Annual Information Booth

Description:

The Floodplain Manager staffs an information both at two public events each year, the Living Green Expo and the Emergency Services Expo, both conducted at the Simi Town Center Mall. Contact is made with a variety of residents and business owners from the community. The booth includes a large full color map of the city watershed and SFHA ; all of the City Hall brochures noted above in OP#1

Distribution of flood preparedness coloring books with crayons is focused on school age children and their parents. Children are encouraged to submit their completed drawings to the City so that they can be posted in City Hall.

Topics and messages:

Priority Area(s): 1 & 2

Priority Audience(s): 1,2,3,4,7

When: Emergency Services Expo (May), Living Green Expo (November)

By Whom: Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator

41 37

42 38

OP#6 – Annual California Flood Preparedness Week Proclamation

Description:

Each year, the Floodplain Manager prepares a California Flood Preparedness Week Proclamation to be presented by the City Council. Normally, there are a number of community members in attendance for other matters and the meeting is televised. A staff member from either FEMA or the California Department of Water Resources is invited to receive the proclamation and make a short speech covering the following topics:

Topics and messages:

Priority Area(s): 1 & 2

Priority Audience(s): 1,2,3,4,5,7

When: California Flood Preparedness Week (3rd Week of November)

By Whom: Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator

43 39

44 40

OP#7– Newspaper Articles (Item Tracked, but not included in overall credit score)

Description:

The Floodplain Manager monitors flood related articles in local and regional print media having relevance to CRS topics. This is primarily a record keeping activity as the treatment of these topics is inconsistent and affected by drought and storm. The CRS program does not currently schedule or plan for these articles. However, the City could pursue a more proactive effort in the future.

Topics that have been addressed in the past articles include many of those shown below.

Topics and messages:

Topic Message Outcome
1 Know your flood
hazard A1 Find out your flood
risk. a1 Better prepared and
informed residents and
2 Insure your property
for flood hazard B1 Purchase flood
insurance for your b1 Increase in number of
flood insurance
3 Protect people from
the hazard C2 Turn Around Don't
Drown c2 Reduce number of
rescue calls
7 General preparedness G1 Get a Plan g1 Less damage and injury from a storm
7 General preparedness G2 Prepare Ahead g2 Less damage and injury from a storm
8 Flood Economics H1 Find out how much
flood damage could h1 Increase in awareness
of the expense of
9 Understand flood
insurance I2 Take advantage of a
Preferred Risk policy i2 More preferred risk
policies
9 Understand flood
insurance I3
Check with your flood
insurance agent to
make sure your flood
insurance policy is
rated correctly and
i3 More accurate policy
ratings

Priority Area(s): 1 & 2

Priority Audience(s): 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

When: Continual Display

By Whom: Deputy Public Works Director/Floodplain Manager/CRS Coordinator

45 41

46 42

APPENDIX 4

ANNUAL PROJECT EVALUATIONS

2018-2019 Project Status & Recommendations

Project Status

1. Brochure Displays: City Hall, Senior Center & City Library COMPLETED

2. Storm Drain Marking Projects COMPLETED

3. Annual Flood Information SFHA Property Owner Flyer Mailing COMPLETED

4. Annual Targeted Outreach
a. Neighborhood Councils COMPLETED
b. Canyon Village HOA COMPLETED
c. Newspaper Articles Re: Flooding – none at this time

5. Annual Information Booths
a. Living Green Expo COMPLETED
b. Emergency Preparedness Expo COMPLETED

6. Annual California Flood Preparedness Week Proclamation COMPLETED Recommendations

1. Brochures -

2. Marking -

3. Annual Letter -

4. Targeted Outreach -

5. Information Booths -

6. Proclamation –

7. Potential New Projects
a. Staff should research and evaluate proactive media outreach opportunities including: Op Ed article in the Acorn, use of the website crawler. 47 43

APPENDIX 5
2018 FLOOD INSURANCE COVERAGE ASSESSMENT
(ACTIVITY 370 – CRS STEP 2)

Many people are not aware that flood insurance is available, and many of those who are aware do not see a need to insure their property. As a meth od of protecting people from the consequences of flooding, promoting flood insurance should be as much a community responsibility as building flood control projects or regulating new development in the floodplain. The Community Rating System (CRS) provides the City of Simi Valley with a special opportunity to promote the availability of flood insurance and its importance as a preparedness measure.

The Flood Insurance Coverage A ssessment identifies a community’s current level of coverage and shortcomings. The CRS assessment process follows these steps:

1. Collect Flood Insurance Information.

In order to determine the level of flood insurance coverage within the City of Simi Valley, the March 31, 2018 insurance policy data provided by the California Departmen t of Water Resources was used. This data includes:

 Figure 1 - City of Simi Valley Flood Insurance Overview  Figure 2 - City of Simi Valley Flood Insurance Coverage by Occupancy  Figure 3 - City of Simi Valley Flood Insurance Coverage by Zone

2. Determine Level of Flood Insurance Coverage

Our Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis is currently based on the effective Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA) Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) shapefile and the Ventura County Assessor’s databas e. The presence of a building was indicated by an improvement valuation in the database for any parcel wholly or partially within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Thus, there are an estimated 3,209 buildings located within the SFHA within the City of Simi Valley.

With 1,449 policies in force within the SFHA, the average flood insurance coverage rate is approximately 45%. For more detailed level of flood insurance coverage by zone, please refer to Table 1 below.

The mix of residential, business and c ontents-only renter policies is unknown. However, the average policy values are all very close to $250,000 which is the maximum residential coverage amount. Unless the City can access and analyze a database of actual policies, it is impossible to know the percent of coverage for residential vs. business vs. contents-only renter. Please refer to Table 2 below

48 44

3. Prepare the Document

Process Followed

City staff began this process with the intent of learning where flood insurance policies were concentrated and what would need to be done to try and increase the awareness of the importance of protecting property with flood insurance. We began by obtaining the most recent Insurance Zone and Insurance Occupancy sheets. The numbers generated in Table 1 were calcu lated from this information. City staff then proceeded to analyze the information provided on these sheets.

Summary Data

Table 1: Current Level of Flood Insurance Coverage (3-31-18) Flood Hazard Zone Policies
in Force
Premiums in
Force
Average
Premium
Number of
Structures
% Flood
Insurance
Coverage
AE Zones 258 293,129$ 1,136 $
A Zones 14 25,955$ 1,854 $
AO Zones 1,042 888,358$ 853$
AH Zones 135 114,951$ 851$
Subtotal 1,449 1,322,393$ 3,209 45.2%
B,C & X Zone
Standard 105 63,297$ 603$
Preferred 230 83,838$ 365$
Subtotal 335 147,135$
Totals 1,784 1,469,528$

Table 2: Average Flood Insurance Policy Coverage (3-31-18) Flood Hazard Zone Policies in
Force Insurance in Force Average
Policy
AE Zones 258 53,045,100$ 205,601$ A Zones 14 3,348,000$ 239,143$ AO Zones 1,042 243,761,500$ 233,936$
AH Zones 135 32,006,000$ 237,081$ Subtotal 1,449 332,160,600$
B,C & X Zone
Standard 105 33,964,100$ 323,468$ Preferred 230 58,856,000$ 255,896$ Subtotal 335 92,820,100$
Totals 1,784 424,980,700$

49 45

Table 3a: Trends in NFIP Issued Coverage - Policies
2,012 2014 2016 2018
AE Zones 282 265 258
A Zones 178 93 14
AO Zones 992 1,049 1,042
AH Zones 145 131 135
Subtotal 1,597 1,612 1,538 1,449
B,C & X Zone
Standard 40 137 105
Preferred 242 644 230
Subtotal 282 284 781 335
Totals 1,879 1,896 2,319 1,784
Policies in ForceFlood Hazard Zone
No Data
No Data

Table 3b: Trends in NFIP Issued Coverage - Insurance
2,012 2014 2016 2018
All SFHA Zones 374.8 358.5 353.3
B,C & X Zones 88.7 242.9 108.9
Total 463.5 601.4 462.2
Flood Hazard Zone Flood Insurance in Force
No Data

Table 4: NFIP Policy Change Statistics
06/10/2014 09/13/2016 10/03/2016 09/20/2018
Total Policies 1,896 2,140 2,335 1,571 SFHA 1,612 1,557 1,238
STD/AR/A99 33 136 -
PRP 251 642 333
Premium 2,110,445$ 1,653,369$ 1,648,857$
Average Premium 1,113$ 773$ 706$
Coverage 423,776 $
Sources: FEMA CRS "What-If" Statement
NFIP Policies Report

Table 5: NFIP Policy Damage Claims Paid (1979 thru 2018)* Policies In
Force
Total Premiums
($M)
Total
Number of
Losses
Average
Annual
Payments
Total
Payments
($M)
Total
Payment
to Total
Premium
National 4,117,936 8,399$ 2,376,095 204,856,945$ 68,153 $ 8.11 $ California 427,330 340$ 48,031 17,022,778$ 574$ 1.68 $ Ventura County 1,529 n.a. 705 241,853$ 9.92 $ n.a.

Simi Valley 1,757 26.5$ 81 2,850$ 0.11 $ 0.005 $ *Sources: http://www.disastercenter.com/flood/Fldloos.htm, https://bsa.nfipstat.fema.gov/reports/1040.htm
50 46

Summary of Current Coverage

There are well over 400 Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) issued to parcels within the SFHA. If those structures are removed from the database, the 1,449 policies on an estimated 2,800 buildings increases the percentage of coverage to 52%. While an improvement, this still means that nearly half of the buildings within the SFHA are definitely uninsured.

Tables 3a and 3b reveal a troubling trend in insurance coverage. Until 2014, the number of insurance policies was staying relatively stable. This would reflect Nation al Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy to allow buyers to retain preferred rates on their new homes. Homes existing prior to the SFHA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (pre -FIRM) continue to pay far less than the full -risk rate. However, two significant events o ccurred in 2016; the threat of Godzilla and Biggart-Waters.

“Experts warn of a Godzilla El Nino Storms that will Rock the West” was just one of many such headlines during the spring of 2016. And people responded to the risk and voluntarily purchased flood insurance. However, the threat evaporated and it is possible that the significant downtick in policies may be by jaded citizens who no longer trust the experts.

Congress passed the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 which began rolling back the preferential treatment of pre-FIRM structures. This put a lid on voluntary purchase of flood insurance, but also threatened fixed -income homeowners with increasing policy premiums that they could no longer pay. Congress later passed the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (HFIAA), which rolled back some of the changes implemented under BW -12 and recognized additional affordability challenges associated with increased premiums required by the BW -12 implementation.

However, this legislation opened the door to privatization of the flood insurance industry.

The significant reduction in policies may also be attributed to the lower rates offered by private industry that is not required to support the NFIP program. Unfortunately, these policies have cherry picked the lowest risk structures (note the drop in Preferred Policies, Table 3a), leaving the higher risk subsidized structures to the government.

Issues

The City of Simi Valley is significantly overpaying for flood insurance. Over the past 41 years, the community of Simi Valley has paid an estimated $26.5 million in flood insurance premiums and has had only $111,357 in paid insurance claims.

 Simi Valley has received 1/2 penny for every $1 dollar in premiums paid o California has received $1.68 for every dollar paid in premiums o The National average is $8.11 received for every dollar paid in premiums

 It is not because we are in an arid region:
o Ventura County has a similar number of NFIP policies
o But has received $9.9 million in claims payments since 1978 51 47

o An average of $242,000 every year
o 85 times the amount of payment received by Simi Valley. o Insurance coverage and rainfall differences cannot account for this!

 Simi Valley is overpaying premiums by at least $350,000 per year o Every LOMR-Fill has proven the FIRM includes too many structures within the SFHA
o Recent LOMR-Fill applications have laid the basis for removing over 500 parcels from the SFHA

Recommendations

The current FIRMs are inaccurate and the City does not have an adequate count of structures within the SFHA. These projects can help to resolve those issues:

 Develop a GIS layer depicting all structures within each zone of the SFHA. This information should also include building type (residential, business, etc.)  Follow up this Flood insurance coverage assessment with development and implementation of a Coverage Improvement Plan
 Continue to improve the Community Rating System (CRS) to maximize flood insurance premium discounts and encourage greater insurance coverage  Maintain annual direct mailings to property owners within the SFHA  Continue working with FEMA on a City-wide update to the Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps

4. Submit to the Governing Body

This assessment was originally attached to a memo submitted by the CRS Coordinator to the City Council on August 7, 2018. It has been since modified to include Table 5 and the “Issues” and “Recommendations” sections.

5. Reassess

This flood insurance assessment will be re -assessed in five (5) years or with the next CRS verification/cycle visit. Updated flood insurance data will be requested from the ISO/CRS Specialist prior to the cycle visit a nd used to revise this document. The revised assessment will then be submitted via a memo to the City Council. 52 48

Figure 1: City of Simi Valley Flood Insurance Overview
Insurance Overview
As of 03/31/2018

Community: SIMI VALLEY, CITY OF State: CALIFORNIA
County: VENTURA COUNTY CID: 060421




Total by Community

Total Number of Policies: 1,784
Total Premiums: $1,464,528
Insurance in Force: $462,221,500
Total Number of Closed Paid Losses: 32
$ of Closed Paid Losses: $116,840

Group Flood Insurance

Total Number of Policies: 0
Total Premiums: $0
Insurance in Force: $0
Total Number of Closed Paid Losses: 0
$ of Closed Paid Losses: $0

Post Firm Minus Rated Policies

Total Number of Minus Rated Policies: 10
A Zone Minus Rated Policies: 10
V Zone Minus Rated Policies: 0

Manufactured Homes

Total Number of Policies: 13
Total Number of Closed Paid Losses: 0
$ of Closed Paid Losses: $0

ICC
Total Number of ICC Closed Paid Losses: 0
$ of ICC CLosed Paid Losses: $0

1316
Number of Properties by Community: 0

Substantial Damage Losses
Number of Substantial Damage Closed Paid Losses: 0

53 49

Figure 2: City of Simi Valley Flood Insurance Coverage by Occupancy Insurance Occupancy
As of 03/31/2018

Community: SIMI VALLEY, CITY OF State: CALIFORNIA
County: VENTURA COUNTY CID: 060421




Policies
in
Force Premium
Insurance in
Force
Number
of
Closed
Paid
Losses
$ of Closed
Paid
Losses
Adjustment
Expense
Single Family 1,328 $989,728 $341,585,900 30 $108,333.17 $11,720.00 2-4 Family 73 $52,286 $14,174,100 0 $0.00 $0.00
All Other Residential 266 $156,821 $49,855,600 1 $1,352.00 $180.00 Non Residential 117 $265,693 $56,605,900 1 $7,155.00 $500.00 Total 1,784 $1,464,528 $462,221,500 32 $116,840.00 $12,400.00

Policies
in Force Premium
Insurance in
Force
Number of
Closed
Paid
Losses
$ of Closed
Paid Losses
Adjustment
Expense
Condo 378 $213,088 $68,980,900 0 $0.00 $0.00
Non Condo 1,406 $1,251,440 $393,240,600 32 $116,840.17 $12,400.00 Total 1,784 $1,464,528 $462,221,500 32 $116,840.00 $12,400.00

54 50

Figure 3: City of Simi Valley Flood Insurance Coverage by Flood Zone Insurance Zone
As of 03/31/2018

Community: SIMI VALLEY, CITY OF State: CALIFORNIA
County: VENTURA COUNTY CID: 060421



Policies
in
Force Premium
Insurance in
Force
Number
of
Closed
Paid
Losses
$ of Closed
Paid
Losses
Adjustment
Expense
A01-30 & AE Zones 258 $293,129 $57,950,800 2 $15,484.41 $1,075.00 A Zones 14 $25,955 $3,348,000 8 $16,658.82 $2,350.00
AO Zones 1,042 $883,358 $259,664,800 4 $7,759.79 $1,700.00 AH Zones 135 $114,951 $32,326,700 0 $0.00 $0.00
AR Zones 0 $0 $0 0 $0.00 $0.00
A99 Zones 0 $0 $0 0 $0.00 $0.00
V01-30 & VE Zones 0 $0 $0 0 $0.00 $0.00
V Zones 0 $0 $0 0 $0.00 $0.00
D Zones 0 $0 $0 0 $0.00 $0.00
B, C & X Zone
Standard 105 $63,297 $35,130,200 4 $19,497.27 $2,100.00 Preferred 230 $83,838 $73,801,000 8 $44,931.19 $3,850.00 Total 1,784 $1,464,528 $462,221,500 26 $104,329.00 $11,075.00

55 51

APPENDIX 6 FLOOD INSURANCE PROMOTION PLAN
(ACTIVITY 370)

Background

In 1999, the City of Simi Valley joined the Community Rating System (CRS) Program as a Class 9 community . CRS is a component of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which provides reductions to flood insurance premiums for residents and businesses within particip ating communities. The reductions are based on community floodplain management programs, including public information activities. To keep those discounts, communities must continue to implement their programs and provide status reports to the NFIP each year.

Since entrance into the CRS Program, the City has provided flood-related information to its residents and businesses. Over the years, the City has expanded this outreach to include, among other items, a community brochure that is mailed annually to all property owners within the Special Flood Hazard Zone (SFHA).

The City is currently preparing a Program for Public Information (PPI) Plan to be adopted by the City Council in April, 2019. This Flood Insurance Promotion Plan will be incorporated into and included with the PPI Plan

Flood insurance is an important mitigation tool for residents and businesses and t he CRS program establishing a new activity (Activity 370 - Flood Insurance Promotion ) to address this need . While the purchase of flood insurance is clearly advisable and typically required by lenders in the SFHA , it is also important for properties outside those areas. Approximately 25% of all national flood claims are for properties located outside the SFHA. While within the City of Simi Valley, t his increases to over 69% of all flood claims paid. Clearly, i mplementation of this activity in accordance with the CRS Coordinator’s Manual not only encourages homeowners to protect their assets but it also earns points in the CRS program.

On May 1, 2018 , the City of Simi Valley earned a Class 6 in the CRS program. This rating places it among the top 25% of communities in the nation. As a result of its Class 6 designation, the City’s residents and businesses within the SFHA enjoy a 2 0% reduction in their flood insurance premiums. Altogether, the CRS program saves the community’s residents and business an average $ 140 per policy, equal to $325,000 per year.

Staff estimates that this Flood Insurance Promotion Plan could earn up to 105 additional CRS points for Activity 370, Flood Insurance Promotion.

Flood Insurance Promotion Committee

The PPI Committee is also serving as its Flood Insurance Promotion Committee. It is comprised of both key staff members from pertinent departments as well as community 56 52

stakeholders representing pertinent professions and constituents within the City of Simi Valley. The insurance industry representatives on the PPI Committee assisted the CRS Coordinator in preparing the draft Flood Insurance Promotion Plan . See Figure 2 (PPI Committee Members, March 2019) for the complete description of committee membership

To meet the CRS requirements for both Activity 330 (Outreach Projects) and 370 (Flood Insurance Promotion), the PPI Committee includes at a minimum:

 Six public members (all City residents)
o Four Neighborhood Council representatives
o One insurance profession representative
o One banking/lending representative

 Three City staff assigned to the Committee
o Floodplain Management representative
o Emergency Services representative
o Public Information Officer representative

Flood Insurance Promotion

One of the most effective ways to get a message across is to have a flood insurance promotion tailored to targeted audiences and repeated by different sources. This activity credits a similar approach to improve flood insurance coverage in a community. This activity provides CRS credit for a three stage process that allows communities to assess their own needs and receive credit for improving their coverage:

Flood insurance coverage assessment (FIA). This credit is provided for assessing the community’s current level of coverage and identifying shortcomings. The maximum credit for FIA is 15 points. (See Appendix 5)

Coverage improvement plan (CP). The plan is prepared by a committee that has representation from local insurance agents. The maximum credit for CP is 15 points.

Implementation of the coverage improvement plan (CPI) . CPI credit is provided for the third step in the flood insurance promotion process – implementing the plan to improve coverage. The maximum credit for this element is 60 points.

FLOOD INSURANCE COVERAGE ASSESSMENT (FIA), See Appendix 5

The most recent (2018) Flood Insurance Coverage Assessment is found in Appendix 5 of the PPI Plan. The basic findings of that Assessment are:

57 53

 With 1,449 policies in force for an estimated 3,209 structures within the SFHA, the average flood insurance coverage rate is approximately 45%.

 A significant reduction in the total number of NFIP policies suggests “cherry picking” by private ins urance companies as the total insured coverage has not decreased.

Recommendations in the (2018) Flood Insurance Coverage Assessment include:

 Develop a GIS layer depicting all structures within each zone of the SFHA. This information should also include building type (residential, business, etc.)

 Follow up this Flood insurance coverage assessment with development and implementation of a Coverage Improvement Plan

 Continue to improve the Community Rating System (CRS) to maximize flood insurance premium discounts and encourage greater insurance coverage

 Maintain annual direct mailings to property owners within the SFHA

 Continue working with FEMA on a City-wide update to the Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Maps

COVERAGE IMPROVEMENT PLAN (CP)

The intent of the Coverage Improvement Plan is to identify the most effective ways to increase flood insurance policy coverage city-wide. Various outreach projects have been identify and will be implemented to promote an increase of flood insurance coverage and the results will be evaluated annually by the PPI Committee in order to make continual improvements in coverage.

NOTE: Before putting in place this coverage improvement plan, an inventory of other outreaches was taken from the City’s PPI Plan. A list of these outreaches is found in Appendix 2, Ongoing Outreach and Flood Response Projects.

To meet the requirements of the CRS program, the following steps were taken:

Step 1 - Required Flood Insurance Coverage Assessment (FIA) credit. See Appendix 5

Step 2 - Plan prepared by a committee of specific representation including one or more representatives from a local insurance agency. See Section 2.0 PPI Committee

Step 3 - The committee must prepare and recommend a coverage improvement plan.  List of the committee members of and their affiliations.

See PPI Plan Section 2.0 PPI Committee Description

58 54

 Current activities by state and local agencies and insurance companies being implemented within the community to promote flood insurance.

See Appendix 2 Ongoing Outreach and Flood Response Projects.

 Desired outcomes and priorities for coverage improvement.

See Formulation of Messages below.

 A description of each project designed to increase coverage, who will do it, and when it will be done.

See Coverage Improvement Projects below

 At least one project must demonstrate community’s elected leadership.

See Coverage Improvement Projects CPI-1B and CPI-2 below

 The process that will be followed to monitor and evaluate the projects.

See Section 8 Annual Evaluation and Updates of the PPI Plan.

 A copy of the draft plan was sent to the FEMA Regional Office’s flood insurance liaison.

Sent by email to Ms. Edith Lohmann on January 7, 2019.

Step 4 – Governing body adoption
This coverage improvement plan was included as Appendix 6 in the PPI Plan which was submitted to and adopted by the City Council on April 8, 2019. See Appendix 9 City Council PPI Plan Adoption.

Step 5 - Preparation of an annual evaluation report
See PPI Plan Section 8, Annual Evaluation and Updates. As this is the initial plan adoption, the first evaluation is not anticipated until the spring of 2020.

Step 6 - The plan will be updated on a five-year cycle
See PPI Plan Section 8 Annual Evaluation and Updates

Formulation of Coverage Improvement Messages

The PPI Committee has determined that the following messages and outcomes should be incorporated in the Flood Insurance Promotion Plan. Both messages have equal priority.

Messages Outcomes

CPI-M1. Purchase flood insurance

CPI-M2. Maintain flood insurance

CPI-M1a. Increased number of new
policies issued

CPI-M2a. Reduced number of policies
dropped
59 55

These messages and their projects have been incorporated into the PPI Plan as follows:

 Annual Outreach Messages – See Table 2 PPI Messages & Outcomes  Flood Response Projects – See Appendix 8 Flood Response Preparations (FRP) Package, Section 2.0 Flood Response Outreach Messages

Coverage Improvement Projects to Convey Coverage Improvement Messages

Activity # CPI-1A
OP Description Social Media - Water Bill Message
Message CPI-1
"It's Flood Preparedness Week. Do you have flood
insurance? Call 805-583-6786 for assistance."
Target Audience All City Residents
Outcome 1,2
Assignment City PIO
Schedule Coincide with CA Flood Preparedness Week

Activity # CPI-1B
OP Description Social Media - Mayor's Op Ed in the Simi Valley Acorn Message 1,2
"It's Flood Preparedness Week. Do you have flood
insurance? Should you keep your flood insurance? Call 805- 583-6786 for assistance."
Target Audience All City Residents
Outcome CPI-1 & CPI-2
Assignment Floodplain Manager, PIO, Mayor
Schedule Coincide with CA Flood Preparedness Week

Activity # CPI-2
OP Description HOA Meeting with the City Councilmember
Target Audience All City Residents
Message CPI-1 & CPI-2
"It's Flood Preparedness Week. Do you have flood
insurance? Should you keep your flood insurance? Staff is here to answer your questions or you can call 805-583-6786 for assistance."
Outcome 1,2
Assignment CRS Coordinator
Schedule Coincide with CA Flood Preparedness Week

NOTE: The insurance topic credit for the Activity 370 outreach projects listed above have been removed from the 330 Outreach Project Worksheet. 60 56

Examination of Other Public Information Initiatives

There are a number of CRS Activities that a given additional credit when they are included in the community’s program for public information. This section describes each of those activities and whether the City’s PPI Plan includes those activities.

Activity 340 DFH (Disclosure of Flood Hazard) – No CRS Credit: Disclosure of flood hazards by real estate agents is not consistent. Most wait for the issuance of the Notice of Hazards D report that is generally produced 2 week s into escrow. A county -wide ordinance o nly requires notice by real estate agents of known hazards, which encourages ignorance of the issue.

Activity 340 REB (Real Estate Agents’ Brochure) – No CRS Credit: The real estate community is too large, not centrally located and does not solely represe nt Simi Valley.

It would be extremely difficult to gain participation by all agents, let alone insure that the brochures are made available to every potential buyer and/or seller of property within the SFHA.

Activity 350 WEB1 (Flood Protection Website) – No CRS Credit: The city’s website is not actively managed. While messages could be posted, they would quickly become static and ignored. This should be revisited once activity management is restored.

Activity 360 PPA (Property Protection Advice) – See Sec tion 6.4 Flood Protection Assistance and Advisory Service

Activity 360 PPV (Property Advice Provided After a Site Visit) – See Section 6.4 Flood Protection Assistance and Advisory Service

Activity 360 FAA (Financial Assistance) – No CRS Credit: The City has no repetitive loss properties and a negligible claim history. Therefore, few if any property owners are interested in mitigation. It is not cost effective for the City to maintain financial assistance expertise, especially for the lack of hands -on experience to implement such assistance.

Activity 370 CPI (Coverage Improvement Plan Implementation) – The Activity 370 Worksheet included below outlines the plan for implementation of the projects listed above. Implementation will be verified during the annu al CRS recertification process.

Their efficacy in achieving the desired outcomes will be evaluated by the PPI Committee each year.

Activity 540 SDR (Stream Dumping Regulations) – See Appendix 3 Activity 330 (Public Outreach) Project Sheet OP#3 Annual Letter to Property Owners for publicity of regulations prohibiting dumping into the City’s storm drain system.

61 57

Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation (CPI)

The various entities listed in Table 7 will begin implementation of the projects included in the coverage improvement plan. The CRS Coordinator will develop the projects as well as monitor their results. He/she will record inputs from PPI Committee members and suggestions from other City staff and stakeholders participating in the activities.

That in put will be communicated to committee members for consideration and evaluation.

The PPI Committee will meet at least once each year to review the implementation of these projects and initiatives. This meeting will coincide with that for the overall PPI Plan. At that time, the status of the projects will be explained and progress toward the outcomes will be discussed. The Committee will recommend to the appropriate City staff and stakeholders who implement projects whether the projects should be changed or discontinued. The outcomes and revisions will be compiled in a report and submitted , if requested, as part of the City’s annual recertification package to the Community Rating System.

At each verification cycle, the plan will be updated, using data from t he updated assessment. This update will be sent to the flood insur ance liaison in the FEMA Region 9 Office prior to it being submitted for adoption by the City Council.

Adoption

This document will become effective when the PPI Plan is adopted by the City of Simi Valley City Council. This is anticipated to be April 8, 2019.

Technical Assistance (See Appendix 7)

The City is committed to providing technical assistance pertaining to advising people who have questions about flood insurance. City staff will c ontinue to participate in training to remain current on flood insurance issues. The Deputy Public Works Director with the responsibility for Floodplain Management and CRS Coordination is also a Certified Floodplain Manager. This technical assistance is being advertised through the City’s website and annual letter to residents, tenants and owners of property within the SFHA.

62 58

Activity 370 Worksheet

PPI? PPI (CPI) STK? STK (CPI) CPI + PPI
+ STK
CPI#1A Social Media - Water
Bill Message 12 1 24 Y 9.6 0.0 33.6
CPI#1B
Social Media -Mayor's
Op Ed in the Simi
Valley Acorn during CA
Flood Preparedness
Week
12 1 24 Y 9.6 0.0 33.6
CPI#2
HOA Sponsored
Presentation with
Attendance by a City
Councilmember
12 1 24 Y 9.6 Y 7.2 40.8
CPI#3 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
CPI#4 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
CPI#5 0 0.0 0.0 0.0
CPI = ∑(CPI + PPI + STK) = 60 ∑CPI: 72 ∑PPI: 28.8 ∑STK: 7.2 108.0 Flood Insurance Promotion Worksheet
Outreach Projects A. Points
per Topic
B. Number
of times
project is
delivered
CPI i =
A x B x 2
Multipliers

63 59

APPENDIX 7

FLOOD INSURANCE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Technical Assistance

The City is committed to providing technical assistance pertaining to advising people who have questions about flood insurance. City staff will continue to participate in training to remain current on flood insurance issues. The Deputy Public Works Director with the responsibility for Floodplain Management and CRS Coordination is also a Certified Floodplain Manager. This technical assistance will be advertised through the City’s website and annual Mayor’s letter to residents, tenants and owners of property within the SFHA.

64 60

APPENDIX 8

FLOOD RESPONSE PREPARATIONS (FRP) PACKAGE

CITY OF SIMI VALLEY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
City of Simi Valley Program for Public Information
Flood Warning & Response Preparations (FWRP) Outreach Package

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Overview ................................................................................................................. 46

2.0 Flood Response Outreach Messages ..................................................................... 47

3.0 Flood Response Message Dissemination ............................................................... 47

LIST OF Figures
Figure 1 Excerpt from Simi Valley Public Information Officer Handbook ....................... 46

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Messages – Impending .................................................................................... 48 Table 2 Messages – During .......................................................................................... 50 Table 3 Messages – After ............................................................................................. 52 Table 4 Messages – Mandatory Evacuation ................................................................. 55 Table 5a Messages – Mud/Debris Flow Voluntary Evacuation ..................................... 57 Table 5b Messages – Mud/Debris Flow Mandatory Evacuation .................................... 58 Table 6 Flood Response Message Dissemination Tools ............................................... 59

65 61

1.0 OVERVIEW

The City of Simi Valley has a library of pre -scripted messages to be implemented prior to an impending flood, and during and after the flood event. These messages are intended to notify the public when flooding is predicted to occur, its e xpected severity, and appropriate response actions (e.g., evacuation routes, protective actions). These messages are conveyed via several flood response outreach tools to notify the public using a variety of methods before, during and after an event.

The City’s Emergency Operations Plan and the Public Information Officer Handbook, provide detailed instructions for copying and distributing the flood response messages and outreach projects (Figure 1). Section 2 of this document lists the messages to convey to the public before, during and after a flooding event. Section 3 describes the outreach tools in place to convey these messages.

Figure 1 Excerpt from Simi Valley Public Information Officer Handbook - Media Advisories Procedure

Ventura County
Sheriff's Department
Sheriff's
Communications
Center
Sheriff's Headquarters
Bureau
Sheriff's EOC/DOC
East Valley Sheriff's
Station
 Emergency Alert System
 Reverse 9-1-1 System
 Emergency Public
Information to Media
 Alert Operational Area
Emergency Managers
 Mobile Public Address
Broadcasts
 Door to Door Notifications
Source of Incident
Information
City of Simi Valley
Warnining Point
(SVPD Watch Commander)
Mobile Public
Address Broadcasts
Emergency Public
Information
Cable Access
Channel
(Time Warner
Channel 10)
Door to Door
Notification
Low Power AM
Radio
Automated
Telephone
Notification System
City Webpage
Update
Notify City Emergency
Management Staff
66 62

2.0 FLOOD RESPONSE OUTREACH MESSAGES

Pre-Scripted Sample Emergency Messages

The City of Simi Valley has a library of pre-scripted messages to be referenced for flooding and dam failures. The sample messages are oriented for pre-impact, impact and post impact phases, as appropriate.

These messages are intended to notify the public when these hazards are predicted to occur, their expected severity, and appropriate response actions.

3.0 FLOOD RESPONSE MESSAGE DISSEMINATION

Local Alerting and Warning Procedures

ALERTING AND WARNING is the process of alerting governmental forces and the general public to the threat of imminent extraordinary danger. Dependent upon the nature of the threat and the population group at risk, warning can originate at any level of government.

Success in saving lives and property is dependent upon timely dissemination of warning and emergency information to persons in threatened areas. Local government is responsible for warning the populace of the jurisdiction.

There are various systems in place, described below, whereby an alert or warning may originate or be disseminated. This section outlines the receipt of warning and alerting and notification by the City of Simi Valley and methods for warning the public if there is a major emergency, especially one requiring evacuation.

Local Warning Systems

All warning systems will be coordinated through the Police Department Watch Commander or Incident Commander and the City of Simi Valley’s City Manager/EOC Director. The following persons are authorized to activate the warning systems:

 Incident Commander
 Watch Commander
 EOC Director (when EOC is activated)

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Table 1 Messages – Impending (Pre-Impact)

Topic CURRENT FRP Message Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
This is the Simi Valley Office of Emergency Services.

The National Weather Service has issued a [type]
Warning for the City of Simi Valley. Dangerous flooding conditions are expected [location].

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
1 Know your
flood hazard
Stay tuned to local television and radio stations for traffic advisories, reports of flooding or other critical
information. You may sign up for emergency alerts at
VCAlert.com and Nixle.com. You can also receive flood
related information from vcemergency.com.

Increased compliance and
reduced flood loss
3 Protect people
from the hazard
If your plan is to travel out of the local area and you can leave at this point, you should go now. If you are
remaining in the area, be ready to evacuate immediately.

Less damage and injury
from a storm
3 Protect people
from the hazard
If you are on the road, do not drive or walk through
storm waters. Driving or walking through floodwaters is dangerous.

Less damage and injury
from a storm
4 Protect your
property from
the hazard
Please report blocked drainage inlets, storm drains and channels to the City at [website/phone number]. Please
keep debris and trash out of the streets, streams, and
ditches.

Reduced localized flooding
4 Protect your
property from
the hazard
Sandbags will be available to City residents [Date/Time] at [Locations].

Reduced property loss from
flooding

68 64

Table 1 Messages – Impending (Pre-Impact) (Cont.)

Topic Prospective NEW FRP Messages Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
Dangerous flooding conditions are expected in the area
of [neighborhood ormunicipality] near the [water course Stay tuned or visit websit for up to date flood hazard
info.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
3 Protect people
from the hazard Be ready to leave. Less damage and injury from a storm
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Residents can call (805) 583-6100 to report issues or
for more information.

Reduced property loss from
flooding
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Driving or walking through
floodwaters is dangerous.

Reduce number of rescue
calls
4 Protect
property from
the hazard
Keep debris and trash out of the streets, streams, and
ditches.

Reduced property loss from
flooding
4 Protect
property from
the hazard
Bring in all large yard items; i.e. furniture, bar-b-que grills.

Reduced property loss from
flooding
8 General
preparedness
Closely monitor the progress of the storm and have your family's disaster preparedness plans in place.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses

69 65

Table 2 Messages – During (Impact)

Topic CURRENT FRP Message Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
This is the Simi Valley Office of Emergency Services with an emergency message. The National Weather Service
has issued a flood watch [Flashflood Watch] for your
area. Dangerous flooding conditions are now occurring in [location].

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Residents in affected areas are advised to stay indoors if their home is safe. Do not go into any room if water has submerged electrical outlets of cords. If you are on the road, do not drive or walk through storm waters.

Driving or walking through floodwaters is dangerous. Be especially cautious at night, when it is harder to see
possible flood dangers.

Less damage and injury
from a storm
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Avoid contact with flood waters if possible. Those who
do come into contact with flood waters should thoroughly rinse any exposed body parts with soap and sanitized or disinfected water.

Reduced localized flooding

70 66

Table 2 Messages – During (Impact) (Cont.)

Topic Prospective NEW FRP Message Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
The area of [Description] is flooded. Please use caution.

Stay inside.

Reduce number of rescue
calls
1 Know your
flood hazard
Motorists are urged to use care when driving through
flooded areas, and to follow posted detour signs
Reduce number of rescue
calls
1 Know your
flood hazard
Updates will continue to be posted on the City of Simi
Valley website, and on Nixel
Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Avoid rapidly-flowing water. Only 6 inches of fast-flowing water can sweep you off your feet.

Less damage and injury
from a storm
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Residents in affected areas are advised to stay indoors if their home is safe.

Reduce number of rescue
calls
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Be especially cautious at night, when it is harder to see possible flood dangers.

Less damage and injury
from a storm
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Residents can call (805) 583-6100 to report issues or
for more information.

Reduced property loss from
flooding
8 General
preparedness
If an area is barricaded, there is a reason. Find an
alternate route.

Reduce number of rescue
calls

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Table 3 Messages – After (Post-Impact)
Topic FRP Message Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
This is the Simi Valley Office of Emergency Services with important flood recovery information. [Name of roads or areas] are still experiencing flooding conditions from
yesterday's storm. You may go tot vcemergnecy.com or
simivalley.org/emergencyinfo for up to date flood
recovery information.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Some areas remain evacuated. Follow reentry orders
and avoid flooded areas. Stay out of standing water or
structures until authorities advise it is safe
Reduce number of rescue
calls
3 Protect people
from the hazard
[Emergency shelters remain opened at [locations] for
residents whose homes were flooded during the storm.

Reduce number of rescue
calls
4 Protect your
property from
the hazard
If you have access to your home or business, and it is
flooded, remove wet contents promptly to prevent mold.

Wet carpeting, furniture, bedding and other items holding moisture can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours. Click
here for more information: https://www.floodsmart.gov/t.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
5 Build
responsibly
Get required permits before you start any home repair,
improvement, or construction.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses

Topic Timing FRP Message
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Table 3 Messages – After (Post-Impact) (Cont.)
Topic FRP Message Outcomes
6 Protect natural
floodplain
functions
Please report blocked drainage inlets, storm drains and channels to the City at [website/phone number]. Please
keep debris and trash out of the streets, streams, and
ditches.

Reduced localized flooding
9 Flood
Economics
Make a List of Damaged Contents and take photos or
video of the damage to document your losses for your
insurance claim before you move any debris or remove
damaged belongings.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
9 Flood
Economics
Look out for price gouging. It is illegal for anyone to sell necessary goods or services at higher than normal
prices during a state of emergency.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
10 Understand
flood insurance
File your insurance claims promptly. There are short
and firm deadlines for submitting them.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
Topic Prospective NEW FRP Message
3 Protect people
from the hazard
City officials are urging residents to avoid driving
through high water
Reduce number of rescue
calls
3 Protect people
from the hazard Residents can call (805) 583-6100 to report issues. Reduced localized flooding 4 Protect your
property from
the hazard
City emergency crews are being dispatched to areas
affected by the heavy rain event that occured [time].

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
5 Build
responsibly
Build back safer and stronger.
https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/2
9837
Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses

73 69

Table 3 Messages – After (Post-Impact) (Cont.)
Topic Prospective NEW FRP Message Outcomes
5 Build
responsibly Find out what permits are required.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
8 General
preparedness
Residents with power should stay tuned to local
television and radio stations for critical updates.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses

74 70

Table 4 Messages – Mandatory Evacuation
Topic FRP Message Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
This is (identify presenter) . The flooding situation
continues in parts of the City of Simi Valley and may
worsen. For your safety, a mandatory evacuation has
been issued for your area.

Less damage and injury
from a storm
3 Protect people
from the hazard
Be sure to take essential items medicine, special foods, personal items, baby supplies, clothing, money, and
valuable papers but do not overload your car. Secure
your home before you leave. Be sure to check on any
neighbors who may need assistance.

Less damage and injury
from a storm,
Reduce number of rescue
calls
3 Protect people
from the hazard
If you cannot stay with relatives or friends outside of the evacuated area, go to (one of) the Red Cross shelter(s) at
Less damage and injury
from a storm
4 Protect your
property from
the hazard
Pets will not be allowed in Red Cross shelters. If you
cannot make arrangements for someone outside the
evacuated area to take care of your pet, (give
instructions)
Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
4 Protect your
property from
the hazard
Do not allow your pet to run loose. If you cannot make
arrangements for your large animals, (give instructions) Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses
3 Protect people
from the hazard
If you have no means of transportation or if you are
physically unable to evacuate on your own, ask a
neighbor to assist you or call .

Reduce number of rescue
calls
3 Protect people
from the hazard
If you know of someone who is unable to understand,
see, or hear this message, please tell them about it.

Reduce number of rescue
calls

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Table 4 Messages – Mandatory Evacuation (Cont.)
Topic FRP Message Outcomes
8 General
preparedness
Thank you for your cooperation and your courtesy to
others. Repeat complete message.

Less damage and injury
from a storm
8 General
preparedness For more information go to www.vcemergency.com. Less damage and injury from a storm

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Table 5a Messages – Mud/Debris Flow Voluntary Evacuation Topic FRP Message Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
This is an important message from [Agency]. The
National Weather Service is forecasting rain beginning
Thursday evening through Friday night. Rainfall totals
may have the potential to cause mud and debris flow in
the [Location}. As a precaution, your residence is being placed under a VOLUNTARY EVACUATION ORDER
beginning on [Date/Time]. A voluntary evacuation order
means the threat to lives is NOT YET IMMINENT
however the potential for rapidly changing conditions to develop into a serious threat does exist. Residents are strongly advised to prepare to leave their homes until the threat has subsided. For additional information please
call the incident hotline at 805-465-6650 or visit our
website at www.vcemergency.com. Thank you for your
cooperation.

Better prepared and
informed residents and
businesses

77 73

Table 5b Messages – Mud/Debris Flow Mandatory Evacuation Topic FRP Message Outcomes
1 Know your
flood hazard
This is an emergency message from the [Agency]. Your
[Location] is now under a MANDATORY EVACUATION
ORDER due to imminent danger of a flood and/or debris
flows. Please evacuate the area immediately. Please
proceed with caution when exiting your home. A Red
Cross Shelter has been setup at [Location]. For
additional informational please call the emergency hotline at 805-583-6100 or visit www.vcemergency.com
Less damage and injury
from a storm
78 74

Table 6 Flood Response Message Dissemination Tools
USE
Mobile Emergency Vehicle Sirens and Loudspeakers
The primary warning system for the City of Simi Valley will be mobile emergency vehicle sirens and loudspeakers. Vehicles will be dispatched to specific locations and assignments made as directed by the Watch Commander or Incident Commander.

For large area evacuations, helicopters could provide low-level flights using PA systems. All areas of the jurisdiction are accessible by vehicle.

Emergency Alerting System (EAS)
Access to EAS for local emergency events of concern to a significant segment of the population of Ventura County is through the Sheriff’s Communications Center or the Watch Commander.

Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)
WEA is a public safety system that allows customers who own certain wireless phones and other compatible mobile devices to receive geographically-targeted, text- like messages alerting them of imminent threats to safety in their area. WEA enables government officials to target emergency alerts to specific geographic areas – eastern Ventura County, for example. Access to WEA for local emergency events through the Sheriff’s OES or the VCSO Watch Commander.

Automated Notification System (VCAlert)
The City’s Office of Emergency Services utilizes the Countywide implementation of VCAlert that is is capable of calling mobile and landline phones, SMS devices (texts) and email and delivering pre-recorded messages. The system can be directed to call a specific geographic location. This permits the notification of the areas impacted by an emergency only. Activation Procedure: Contact the Emergency Services Coordinator or the Emergency Services Coordinator to activate this system. If neither are available contact the VCSO Watch Commander. VCOES can also operate VCAlert
City Emergency Public Information Website
The City’s Office of Emergency Services, in coordination with the City Manager’s Office maintains an Emergency Public Information website. The website is located at:
www/simivalley.org/emergencyinfo The EOC PIO is generally responsible for updating this webpage.

VC Operational Area Website - vcemergency.com
The Ventura County Operational Area operates a regional emergency information website located at www.vcemergency.com. The EOC submits relevant Simi Valley incident information to the Operational Area EOC for posting to this website.

Press Releases
The EOC/DOC’s will directly issue press releases to all media outlets, as dictated by the incident.

Social Media – Nixle
The Simi Valley Police Department utilizes NIxle to issue public advisory, warning and general messages to its subscribers. Contact the Watch Commander to utlize this messaging system.

79 75

Table 6 Flood Response Message Dissemination Tools (Cont.) Social Media – Nixle
The Simi Valley Police Department utilizes NIxle to issue public advisory, warning and general messages to its subscribers. Contact the Watch Commander to utlize this messaging system.

Social Media
The City of Simi Valley and Police Department each operate Facebook, Twitter, and Next Door. Activation Procedure: Contact the SVPD Watch Commander, or Emergency Services Manager or the Emergency Services Coordinator to activate these systems.

Cable TV
The City has an agreement with Spectrum to provide the public with alerting and notification of various disaster situations. This system includes break into all TVS that are a part of this cable system. The City’s Cable Channel 10 will provide directions to the citizens via scrolled information. This includes a “leader” that will scroll across any TV station that is turned on directing viewers to tune to their local cable channel for more information.

Low-Power Local Radio Station (WNHI 810)
The entire City is within range of WNHI 810 SIMI VALLEY. WNHI 810 SIMI VALLEY is a 10-watts station and playback is from a digital recording chip. During emergencies, this station will provide information to Simi Valley residents. Activation procedures: The PIO may activate this system by proceeding to the Police Communications Center and following the detailed procedures manual located at the transmitter.

Supporting Warning systems
Local TV and radio, along with Community Emergency Response Team members, Department volunteers, Law Enforcement Officers, Explorers and Reserve Officers and issuing door-to-door warnings to citizens in the threat area.

80 76

APPENDIX 9

CITY COUNCIL PPI PLAN ADOPTION

81 77

82 78

APPENDIX 10

PPI PLAN ANNUAL EVALUATIONS

PPI COMMITTEE MINUTES

2020 PPI Committee Meeting - Cancelled, COVID-19 Meeting Restrictions 2021 PPI Committee Meeting - Cancelled, COVID-19 Meeting Restrictions April 28, 2022

3. Call to Order/Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance
Deputy Public Works Director, Brent Siemer, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., and confirmed a quorum was present.
2022-23 Program for Public Information (PPI) Committee
Neighborhood Councils (NC) Alternates
P Tom Williams* – NC #1 P Dalila Minter* – NC #1
P Theresa Ramirez* – NC #2 P James Bartholomew* – NC #3 P Sara Rosario* – NC #3 P Brian Kane* – NC #4
P Kyle Marks* – NC#4
Chamber of Commerce
P = Present
E = Excused
A = Absent

* indicates Simi Valley Resident

P Tim Koning*
P Jayson Wimmer*
City Staff
P Brent Siemer*
P Samantha Argabrite*
P Eileen Connors*
P Maria Godinez*

83 79

2. Introductions
All meeting participants and attendees gave a brief introduction.

3. Agenda Review
The agenda was approved as presented.

4. Approval of Minutes dated March 6, 2019 (Meeting #1 and Meeting #2) Action: Approved minutes

5. Correspondence
Brent Siemer reporte d c orrespondence was received from resident Teresa Jordan regarding Agenda Items No. 4 (March 6, 2019, Meeting #1 and Meeting #2 Minutes), No. 7 (Staff Presentations, and No. 9 (Public Comment). The PPI Committee received a copy of the correspondence via email.

Correspondence was received from James Bartholomew at the end of the meeting regarding the need to increase coordination with the Ventura County Watershed Protection District and dissemination of time -sensitive information, unreasonable insurance pre miums, and the current City’s flood zone website links and included various questions regarding the program.

6. Public Statements/Comments
No public statements/comments made.

7. Informal Presentations
a. Community Rating system (CRS)

Brent Siemer discussed the points of the agenda and its purpose to discover and establish facts of the program from the committee members regarding potential flood problems, target audiences, an d methods for outreach projects, and his role in new development within Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) and the CRS Program to reduce the cost of flood insurance.

b. Samantha Argabrite discussed the various communication channels offered by the city to push out important information to the community, including flood information, and is ope n to getting feedback from the committee members about ways to share information with our community. 84 80

c. Eileen Connors discussed her role in updating the Hazard Mitigation Plan and Emergency Operations Plan, discussing that both plans play a crucial role in responding to and reducing the impacts of natural disasters.

Addressed the importance of registering for VC Alert to receive emergency and other important community news that pose a threat to the health or safety of the community, and addressed CERT and DS W Program for education about disaster preparedness.

8. New Business
a. PPI Plan Overview Points
i. Potential Flood Problems
Brent Siemer discussed potential flooding areas in the city, floodplains, and how engineers play a crucial role in updating flood hazard maps and providing data for new development. He
mentioned that remapping conducted for development took existing hazard areas out of the SFHA and the approximate cost to remap the entire city.

Tom Williams, NC#1 Neighborhood Council Member, asked about grants to remap the city. Brent Siemer said there are grants available, however, for disadvantaged communities.

Kyle Marks, NC#4 Neighborhood Council Member, asked if
remapping information was presented to the City Council and mentioned the city’s surplus mo ney available for remapping. Brent Siemer said it was presented to the City Council in bits and pieces with the City Manager, but no formal presentations, and has since lowered the cost to remap the city from the original anticipated cost.

Brent Siemer ad dressed the different flood sources and the importance of having maps for insurance because a risk still exists.

The second important issue is the maintenance of pipes and drainage inlets before storms. State -regulated dams are critical but not shown on flood maps, which can also have a community impact if breached after a storm and flooding that may occur after fires. ii. Target Audiences
85 81

Brent Siemer addressed the target groups that receive annual reminders about flood information to protect people and proper ty, insurance and costs, action plan, and protection of natural floodplains. He mentioned that this information is available at City Hall, Library, Street Fair, at the annual flood proclamation, and on the City’s updated website.

Samantha Argabrite stated how the city shares the annual flood proclamation and other resources with the public via social media outlets and consistent visual education for audiences to remember.

Brent Siemer asked the committee about missing audiences.

Members suggested targeting the Spanish, Korean, and Chinese languages.

Jayson Wimmer, Chamber of Commerce, suggested reaching
owners with paid mortgages in high flood -risk areas. Brent Siemer said he targets every property that touches the flood plain with a brochure with flood info rmation and redoing the brochure with less information that is not overwhelming to residents. Kyle Marks, NC#4, Neighborhood Council, suggested door hangers instead of mailing brochures. Brent Siemer said it is a liability and time - consuming and can reach out to HOAs to target and present to a larger group.
iii. Outreach Projects
James Bartholomew, NC#3, Neighborhood Council Alternate, mentioned the city’s website links to FEMA, Ready Ventura, and the Flood Information Rating System for flood information and t he difficulty for residents to understand the map legends. Brent Siemer said flood zones have no validation when determining the risk factor, which now is determined by algorithms and maps that only determine whether a property is in or out of a flood zone.

Dalila Minter, NC#1, Neighborhood Council Alternate, suggested the idea of mock scenarios for training target audiences by adding the human element for preparedness. Brent Siemer stated it has components to protect people and prepare ahead of time, such as earthquakes. Every emergency has the same elements and
addresses the different emergency preparedness months. Theresa 86 82

Ramirez, NC#2, Neighborhood Council, discussed mock scenarios as a good exercise after a CERT training class.

Sara Rosario, NC#3, Neig hborhood Council, suggested creating videos to advertise on various social media platforms. Samantha Argabrite mentioned the city’s communications team and possibly integrating video content. Theresa Ramirez, NC#2, Neighborhood Council, suggested advertisi ng more extreme weather conditions for preparedness. Brent Siemer mentioned the new technology and visual scenarios available to view flooding in progress that is accurate and could benefit residents in our city.

Tim Koning, Chamber of Commerce, stated that homeowners could call their insurance agent to get a quote and learn the costs to insure a property from a flood and determine the risk and limits.

Sara Rosario, NC#3, Neighborhood Council, asked about
insurance information booths at the Street Fair with a suggestion to have a dunk tank to attract audiences. Theresa Ramirez, NC#2, Neighborhood Council, suggested reaching HOAs to add flooding to their agendas, and possibly more residents will attend monthly meetings. Brent Siemer said focusing on remapping the city versus marketing for residents to obtain flood insurance due to increased insurance rates is a priority.

11. Adjournment: Deputy Public Works Director Brent Siemer adjourned the meeting at 8:50 p.m.

April 27, 2023

4. Call to Order/Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance
Deputy Public Works Director, Brent Siemer, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., and confirmed a quorum was present.
2023-24 Program for Public Information (PPI) Committee
Neighborhood Councils (NC) Alternates
P David Mosso* – NC #1 E Dalila Minter* – NC #1
87 83

P Raine Wiseman* – NC #2 P Gayle Sutton* – NC #2
P Jeremy Yablan* – NC #3 E Holly Harpham* – NC #4
P Don Diamond* – NC#4
P = Present
E = Excused
A = Absent

* indicates Simi Valley Resident

Chamber of Commerce
P Tim Koning*
P Jayson Wimmer*
City Staff
P Brent Siemer*
E Samantha Argabrite*
P Eileen Connors
P Maria Godinez*

2. Introductions
All meeting participants and attendees gave a brief introduction.

3. Agenda Review
The agenda was approved as presented.

4. Minutes dated April 28, 2022 (Meeting #1)
Action: Received and Filed

5. Correspondence
No correspondence received.

6. Public Statements/Comments
No public statements/comments were made.

7. Staff Presentations
a. Purpose of Meeting
Brent Siemer discussed the program’s overview, which allows the residents of the City to get insurance through the federally backed flood insurance program when required by mortgage lenders. The Community Rating System (CRS) is a component of the National Floo d Insurance 88 84

Program (NFIP), and the PPI Committee is a requirement that earns the City points to increase the CRS rating and provide additional insurance savings for the community.

The City’s Flood Information website and links are part of the CRS outreach project reaching the community. In addition, Brent Siemer discussed the regulation of new development in the floodplain to protect people from the consequences of flooding. Under the CRS, public information and mapping and regulations such as map informat ion, outreach projects, higher regulatory standards, and drainage system maintenance are key categories the City focuses on for the program.

Brent Siemer shared and discussed the CRS Class ratings for the City since the initiation of the program in 1999, t he various annual city projects and the maximum number of points earned for the outreach program, and how he wants to enhance the City’s CRS websites and links for the community to research information online. b. Emergency Communications
Samantha Argabrite s hared with Brent Siemer a page with the various online applications the City uses to connect with the community and share information. Brent printed the page and had the committee members circle the different applications the members are familiar with receiving information from. Brent Si emer will share feedback back with Samantha Argabrite for future planning. Brent Siemer shared the existing and the proposed new helpful links to the City’s website for easy flood information lookup.
c. Emergency Services
Eileen Connors passed VC Alert cards and encouraged everyone to share and register home addresses, landlines, cell phones, emails, and TTY devices to receive trusted information about emergencies in the community.

Eileen Connors shared a presentation on how th e City responds to disasters and how the community can help. Life safety, property, and the community’s trust are the City’s priorities during any disaster. The emergency operation consists of preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation with multiple staff members involved in the Emergency Management Organization (EMO). Eileen Connors discussed the 89 85

Hazard Mitigation Plan adopted on July 7, 2022, and the various types of hazards and the City’s EOC participation in FEMA’s dam failure Virtual Tabletop Exe rcise with other agencies across the U.S. Staying safe, helping others, and checking in are things the community can do during any crisis. Additionally, Eileen Connors shared that the community members can attend the Community Emergency Response Team to learn life -saving skills and other online resources for additional information.

8. Committee Discussion
Brent Siemer asked the committee what resonated from Eileen Connor’s presentation. David Mosso , NC#1, commented on the gathering and mutual collaboration of the EOC. Jeremy Yablan , NC#3, commented on not knowing the five dams within city limits. Brent Siemer explained the various dams and elaborated because dams could have flooding potential.

David Mosso , NC#1, asked about climate change and future factors on flooding. Brent Siemer responded that climate change may take us more into drought rather than flooding.

Brent Siemer asked the committee if they had a chance to look up the City’s website links and the various locations where the community can find br ochures about flooding. Tim Koning , Chamber of Commerce, suggested social media to notify the community about flooding and mailings. Jayson Wimmer , Chamber of Commerce, shared that he received more calls about flooding from residents on properties near the Simi Arroyo and how news outlets promote awareness by the news shared. David Mosso , NC#1, stated how the younger population receives information from various outlets, and other populations conduct searches on Google or local government websites.

9. Committee Recommendations
Brent Siemer collected the survey from the committee members to find out which online applications are the most used to obtain information and share the results with Samantha Argabrite for the City’s public information systems.

10. Adjournment: Deputy Public Works Director Brent Siemer adjourned the meeting at 8:20 p.m.

90 86

April 25, 2024

DRAFT MINUTES

1. Call to Order/Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance
Deputy Public Works Director, Brent Siemer, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m., and confirmed a quorum was present.
2024-25 Program for Public Information (PPI) Committee
Neighborhood Councils (NC) Alternates
P Todd Taylor* – NC #1 E Cameron Thompson
P Theresa Ramirez* – NC #2 E Douglas Robertson
P Revathi Pudhota* – NC #3 E Steve Baker
P Stephen Koep* – NC#4 E Amber Powell
Chamber of Commerce
P = Present
E = Excused
A = Absent

* indicates Simi Valley Resident

P Tim Koning*
P Jayson Wimmer*
City Staff
P Brent Siemer*
E Samantha Argabrite*
E Eileen Connors*
P Amy Nordstrom*

2. Introductions
All meeting participants and attendees gave a brief introduction.

3. Agenda Review
The agenda was approved as presented.

4. Minutes dated April 27, 2023 (Meeting #1)
Action: Received and Filed
91 87

5. Correspondence
No correspondence received.

6. Public Statements/Comments
No public statements/comments were made.

7. Staff Presentations
a. Purpose of Meeting
Brent Siemer shared the program’s overview, which included the NFIP in Summary, the Community Rating System (CRS overview, outreach projects and new website links), Floodplain Remapping Projects and Floodplain Manager Recommendations.

He discussed the NFIP and concept of Federally Backed Flood Insurance, and how the required Community Floodplain Management Ordinance allows affected residents protection from 1% Chance (100 - year) Storm Events. Brent also went over attributes of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM).

Information given regarding the 4 CRS categories, with a focus on Public Information, Mapping and Regulat ions. There was an overview of the City of Simi’s rating history, how the City accumulates points towards Class ratings that affect citywide discounts on flood insurance. Simi’s rating history shared, beginning in 1999 with a Class 9 rating, to 2018 when the City achieved a Class 5 rating resulting in a 25% discount to Simi Valley residents. Currently the City has a rating of Class 6 which is a downgrade due to recent regulation reforms, but still affords a 20% discount to Simi residents required to have flood insurance.

The discussion moved to the CRS Outreach Projects, highlighting Annual City Projects like Annual Storm Drain Marking, SFHA Property Owner Brochures and Displays, Annual Targeted Outreach via the Neighborhood Councils, and the Flood Prepare dness Week Proclamation.

Brent then reviewed new web links, including recent approved Letters of Map Revisions in 2023 and 2024, revising a total of 3,538 acres of SFHA, and 1872 acres being removed, or a total of 2996 buildings that are no longer in the F lood Zone. Introduced another LOMR process that 92 88

should begin around July of 2024 may cover and estimated 300 -500 acres of SFHA, or 100-300 buildings.

PPI Plan Updates discussed were the necessity of a 5 -Year update in light of upcoming citywide mapping upd ate; the need for the CRS program once the maps are updated due to the decreased number of residents benefitting from the CRS program and the amount of staff time required to research, update and maintain; the possibility of the CRS program being scaled do wn to require no significant staff time; pursue Open Space Credit increase; eliminate Outreach; only continue to enforce Higher Regulatory Standards; scaled down program would all the Class 5 rating to be maintained.

The PPI Plan Updates were summarized, t hen Brent offered to revisit any points and see if anyone had questions.

8. Committee Discussion
Tim Koning/State Farm asked if there were any upcoming projects or developments that could potentially offer more funding opportunities towards future remappi ng. Brent answered that City Council was able to weather Covid fairly well, financially, therefore $700K was allocated by the Council for remapping purposes.

9. Committee Recommendations
Steven Koep NC#4 moved to accept the following: Make no changes t o the current PPI Plan; Continue to conduct annual review of the PPI Plan; Recommend that the City Council readopt and extend the current plan until the citywide floodplain remapping is completed, but to no later than 2029.

Todd Taylor NC #1 seconded the motion
Motion was passed unanimously.

10. Adjournment: Deputy Public Works Director Brent Siemer adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m.

Simi Valley City CouncilJune 3, 2024

Simi Valley City Council
June 3, 2024