To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Zach Curren, Fire Chief
Prepared By: Shuree Egloff, Principal Management Analyst
TITLE:
Title
Adopt the Napa County 2026 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution adopting the Napa County 2026 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update, including Volume 1 and Volume 2, Section 3 City of Napa Annex and determining that the actions authorized by this Resolution are exempt from CEQA.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The Napa County 2026 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) Update (the “Plan”) provides a comprehensive strategy to reduce the impacts of natural hazards such as earthquakes, wildfires, flooding, drought, and severe weather events. The Plan serves as a five-year roadmap for coordinated hazard mitigation actions among the City of Napa, Napa County, and other planning partners.
Adoption of this Plan ensures that the City of Napa and participating jurisdictions remain eligible for federal hazard mitigation grant funding administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including programs such as Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA). Adoption also fulfills the planning requirements of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000). As a DMA 2000 requirement, the plan must be updated every five years to remain in compliance with federal mitigation grant conditions. The last City of Napa Hazard Mitigation Plan update was done in January 2022.
The Plan includes a countywide risk assessment and mitigation strategy and identifies 136 mitigation actions to reduce hazard risks across the Napa County planning area.
BACKGROUND:
Hazard Mitigation Planning
Hazard mitigation refers to sustained actions taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risks to people and property from natural hazards. Examples include infrastructure improvements, regulatory updates, natural resource protection projects, and community preparedness initiatives.
Federal regulations require local governments to maintain an approved hazard mitigation plan to remain eligible for FEMA mitigation funding. The DMA 2000 established this requirement and directs FEMA to support mitigation planning as a means of reducing disaster losses nationwide.
Multi-Jurisdictional Planning Effort
The Plan was developed through a collaborative planning effort led by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office. The planning process included participation from a total of 13 jurisdictions, including:
1. Napa County
2. City of American Canyon
3. City of Calistoga
4. City of Napa
5. City of St. Helena
6. Town of Yountville
7. American Canyon Fire Protection District
8. Howell Mountain Mutual Water Company
9. Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
10. Napa County Office of Education
11. Napa Valley College
12. Napa Valley Transportation Authority
13. Napa Sanitation District
Participating jurisdictions worked together to identify hazards, assess vulnerabilities, collect public and stakeholder input, and develop mitigation strategies across their jurisdictions and the region.
PLAN STRUCTURE
The Plan is organized into two volumes.
• Volume 1 - Base Plan: Provides the countywide framework for hazard mitigation planning, including hazard identification and risk assessment, community vulnerability analysis, countywide mitigation goals and strategies, and an implementation framework with monitoring procedures.
• Volume 2 - Jurisdictional Annexes: Includes annexes for each participating jurisdiction that identify locally-relevant hazards, jurisdiction-specific vulnerabilities, and local mitigation actions and implementation strategies.
Each participating jurisdiction is responsible for adopting and implementing its respective annex.
PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The Plan was developed through an extensive planning and outreach process that included a community survey on hazard risks, stakeholder workshops, public outreach events, review and comment opportunities on draft materials, and coordination with local agencies and planning partners. This outreach ensured compliance with FEMA requirements for public involvement in hazard mitigation planning and was integral to identifying local hazard priorities and realistic mitigation actions.
FEMA REVIEW AND APPROVAL
The Plan has undergone review by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and has been forwarded to FEMA Region IX for final approval. Following adoption by participating jurisdictions, FEMA will issue a formal approval letter, allowing the plan to take effect and enabling jurisdictions to remain eligible for FEMA mitigation funding.
GENERAL PLAN INTEGRATION (AB 2140)
Adoption of the Plan also enables the City of Napa to integrate the plan into the Safety Element of the General Plan pursuant to California Government Code Sections 65302, 65302.6, and 8685.9. This integration improves eligibility for post-disaster hazard mitigation funding and strengthens coordination between hazard mitigation planning and local land-use policies.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with plan adoption. However, adoption of the Plan maintains eligibility for FEMA hazard mitigation funding, which may support future infrastructure improvements and resilience projects across participating jurisdictions.
CEQA:
The Fire Chief recommends that the City Council determine that the Recommended Action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), Common Sense Exemption, and Section 15262, Feasibility and Planning Studies. The Plan establishes policy guidance and mitigation strategies but does not authorize specific construction projects. Environmental review will occur for individual projects as required.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
ATCH 2 - Napa County 2026 MJHMP Update - Volumes 1 and 2 (available via project website) <https://mitigatehazards.com/napacountymjhmp/>
ATCH 3 - Napa County 2026 MJHMP Update - Volume 2, Section 3
NOTIFICATION:
None