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Director of Planning and Zoning/Zoning Officer Whitemarsh Township Lafayette Hill, PA
Compare and contrast the impacts of and recovery from Hurricanes Isaias and Ida, which affected communities along the Schuylkill River in 2020 and 2021. Examine their meteorological differences, the role of urban planning history in recovery, how planners are using climate data in hazard-mitigation planning, and how FEMA, Pennsylvania, and local communities are working to mitigate future storm damage.
Begin in Eastwick in southwest Philadelphia, which suffered severe damage from Isaias in 2020, and explore damage and recovery from Ida in Center City, Manayunk, Whitemarsh, and Conshohocken. Visit several unique neighborhoods and gather community perspectives on flooding, equity, recovery, resilience, development, and mitigation. Learn about the impact of federal disaster declarations on recovery and how to assess future climate-based risks. Hear from local, state, and federal partners on accessing FEMA funding for planning and discuss how planners are working with communities to implement effective mitigation strategies in urban and suburban centers.
Disasters disproportionally affect marginalized communities. Residents, community stakeholders, and local, state, and federal partners describe how recovery has varied by community and the challenges to righting past planning wrongs through mitigation projects.
Attendees walk during this workshop.
Learning Objectives:
Identify how development patterns can affect flood risk in your community and how planners can use meteorological and climate data to create robust plans that reduce future vulnerability.
Leverage federal funding for hazard mitigation planning and projects to address the intersection of equity, climate change, future development, and community needs.
Examine the complexity of community decision making about projects to mitigate flooding while balancing the goals of reducing inequity, remaining in place, and promoting economic vitality.