What is a hazard mitigation plan?
Hazard mitigation plans identify actions that can be taken by the City to reduce or eliminate the risk to human life and property from natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and floods.
Hazard mitigation plans essentially have two parts. The first part assesses the city’s vulnerability to damage caused by natural hazards. The second part identifies capital projects and other programs that if implemented could mitigate the damage caused by the natural hazard when it occurs.
Part one, assessing vulnerability, has three steps.
- Identify all of the natural hazards which have the potential to occur in Mukilteo and would have significant impacts.
- Determine the probability of each natural hazard actually occurring.
- Assess the extent the population, infrastructure, and private property would be impacted if the natural hazard happens.
Part two is a list of mitigation measures the city could undertake which, if implemented, would reduce the damage caused by the natural hazard.
Why is the City updating its plan?
Mukilteo’s hazard mitigation plan is being updated because it was last updated in 2010 and because the agency which coordinated the City’s previous plans and updates, ESCA (Emergency Services Coordinating Agency) dissolved in 2015. The new coordinating agency for Mukilteo is Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management (DEM). The Snohomish County Hazard Mitigation Plan was updated by DEM in July 2015. As a planning partner, Mukilteo’s updated plan, after it is adopted by the City Council, will become an “annex” to the countywide plan. The City of Mukilteo is one of 32 municipalities/agencies that are planning partners. The partners include towns, cities, Native American tribes, and special districts (school, water, wastewater, flood control, dike, health, PUD).
What hazards does the Mukilteo plan address?
- Earthquake
- Severe Weather
- Climate Change
- Landslide/Mass Movement
- Flood
- Tsunami
- Volcano
- Wildland Fire
The impact from floods, tsunamis, volcanoes, and wildland fires would be minimal. There are no active volcanoes near Mukilteo so there is no direct threat from them. However, the ashfall from distant volcanoes would could reach Mukilteo causing some damage to property and vehicles and negatively the health of people with breathing problems. While it’s entirely possible a tsunami could reach Mukilteo’s shore, the City’s topography would contain the tsunami to a relatively small area. It’s unlikely a wildland fire will occur in Mukilteo, but if it did it would be within one of the City’s gulches and would likely be contained within a gulch where there is little or no development.
It was determined that Mukilteo is at zero risk of being impacted by an avalanche or dam failure, two hazards that pose significant risks to other areas in Snohomish County, because no dams or mountains are located close enough to Mukilteo to impact the City.
How can I provide feedback on the hazard mitigation plan?
Step number one would be to read the draft plan. Download the current draft of the City of Mukilteo Annex to Snohomish County Hazard Mitigation Plan (FINAL draft). Comments may be submitted to the Planning Department by regular mail at 11930 Cyrus Way, Mukilteo, WA 98275.
