Hazard Mitigation Plans

What is hazard mitigation planning?

Hazard mitigation planning is a process for State, local, and Indian Tribal governments to identify policies, activities, and tools to implement mitigation actions. Mitigation is any sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to life and property from a hazard event. This process has four steps:

1) Organizing resources

2) Assessing risks

3) Developing a mitigation plan

4) Implementing the plan and monitoring progress

​Charlotte-Mecklenburg Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan

In 2005, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and incorporated cities and towns of Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville, Huntersville, Davidson, Cornelius, participated in a planning effort that resulted in the development of a hazard mitigation plan covering each participating jurisdictions. This Plan received Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approval in 2005. These Plans are designed to meet the federal regulations set forth by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, which requires all local, county, tribal, and state governments to develop a multi-hazard mitigation plan for their respective jurisdictions in order to be eligible to receive certain hazard mitigation and public assistance funds.

In October 2010, Charlotte Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office (CMEMO) updated the original 2005 plan to incorporate changes, requirements, and modifications to the hazard mitigation act of 2000. This 2010 plan is located under the Hazard Mitigation Plans tab.

In the summer of 2014, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the 6 Towns began the update process for the required 5 year update. The final draft plan was approved by the State of North Carolina in June of 2015 and is currently under review by the Federal government. Once FEMA has approved the plan, it will go to all 8 Councils/Commission for adoption.

​Who is involved in the hazard mitigation planning?

• Mecklenburg County
• City of Charlotte
• Matthews
• Mint Hill
• Pineville
• Huntersville
• Davidson
• Cornelius

​Plan update process

AECOM was contracted in 2014 to update the plan for 2015. The process includes participation from each jurisdiction. The Hazard Mitigation Plan contains the following elements:

• Previously identified hazards that may impact or have impacted the community
• Profiles of the most relevant hazard elements
• Assessment of vulnerability to hazards
• Assessment of the communities'' capability to mitigate hazards
• Hazard mitigation goals and objectives for the community
• Hazard mitigation actions and/or projects
• Implemented strategy for the plan
• Plan maintenance strategy for the next 5-year cycle
• Write and officially adopt plan

​Stakeholder meetings

Five (5) planning team meetings will be held for the 2015 update that is currently in progress.

​Public involvement

Public meetings are held to encourage input from citizens during the draft stage of the plan development. Three public meetings will be held as part of the 2015 plan update. Two public meetings were held in November and December of 2014. The third public meeting will be held at Matthews Town Hall on August 5 from 5:30-7:30pm.

​For more information:

For more information or to submit comments and questions, e-mail CharMeckEM@charlottenc.gov or call CMEMO at 704-336-2414.