Opinions Sought On Pinellas County's Hazard Mitigation Plan

ST. PETERSBURG, FL —Residents and business owners are invited to a workshop and community open house to offer their opinions and concerns about preventing and recovering from natural and man-made hazards throughout Pinellas County. The event will be held Thursday, Oct. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Lealman Exchange, 5175 45th St. N., St. Petersburg.

Attendees will be able to view a draft of the Local Mitigation Strategy plan and learn more about the plan through an interactive story map that describes the mission, goals and outcomes, along with hazards such as storm surge vulnerability and flooding.

Residents can also discuss hazards that may be impacting them.

The workshop is one part of federally mandated five-year update of the LMS plan. The LMS is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the county and participating municipalities to remain eligible to receive federal hazard mitigation grant funds. The LMS also serves as the county's floodplain management plan, earning credits toward flood insurance premium discounts for property owners in participating jurisdictions under the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System.

The Pinellas County LMS was originally adopted in 1998 and updated in 2005, 2010 and 2015.

Comprehensive updates are now required by FEMA every five years. The Pinellas County government, 23 municipal partners, other governmental agencies, local universities and various nonprofits contribute to these updates.