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Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

City of Panama City, Florida

September 2008

Panama City Planning and Land Use Services

9 Harrison Avenue

Panama City, Florida 32401

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

City of Panama City, Florida

Panama City Planning and Land Use Services

9 Harrison Avenue

Panama City, Florida 32401

This plan funded in part, through a grant agreement from the Florida Department of Environmental

Protection, Florida Coastal Management Program, by a grant provided by the Office of Ocean and

Coastal Resource Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA06NOS4190129. The views, statements,

findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not

necessarily reflect the views of the State of Florida, NOAA or any of its sub-agencies.

September 2008

Prepared by:

CSA International, Inc.

8502 SW Kansas Ave

Stuart, Florida 34997

www.csa-planning.com

CSA

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | i

2007-2008 Panama City Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan Executive Committee

City Representatives

Allara Mills-Gutcher, Planning/Land Use Services, Manager (Planning Chair/Land Use and Community

Development Working Group Co-Chair)

Jeff Brown, City Manager’s Office, Assistant City Manager (Implementation Chair)

Mike Johnson, Community Development, Director (Land Use and Community Development Co-Chair)

Neil Fravel, Public Works, Director (Infrastructure Repair Working Group Chair)

Mike Kazunas, Public Works, City Engineer

Chief Jerry Prater, Fire and Rescue Chief

Austin Andrews, Fire and Rescue

Wayne Stubbs, Port Authority, Executive Director

Charles Lewis, Port Authority, Deputy Director

Captain Robert Colbert, Police Department, Captain

Mark Aviles, Police Department

Terri Lillard, Finance

Willis Holley, Public Works

Cynthia Godbey, CRA Board, Executive Director

Nancy Wengel, St. Andrews CRA/Waterfronts Partnership

Ron Morgan, Utilities, Director

County Representatives

Mark Bowen, Emergency Management, Director

Wayne Elmore, School Board, Facility Supervisor

Mike Jones, School Board, Safety and Security Manager

Mike Geralds, Building and Permitting Services, Deputy Building Official

Valerie Michaels, Board of County Commissioners, Communications Specialist

Local and Regional Organizations/Stakeholders

Ted Clem, Bay County EDA, Executive Director, (Economic Redevelopment Working Group Chair)

Paul Runk, Bay County Chamber of Commerce, Vice President of Governmental Relations

Dr. John Holdnak, Gulf Coast Community College, Vice President of Administration and Finance

Jami Duchesne, United Way of NWFL, Communications Development Director

Diane Williams, Catholic Charities, Regional Director

Bob Pearce, American Red Cross, Executive Director

Earl Mirus, Gulf Power, Arborist

Wes Smith, Tyndall Air Force Base, Engineering Division

Randy Curtis, Panama City-Bay County International Airport, Executive Director

Jeff Prater, Naval Surface Warfare Center of Panama City, Public Affairs

Marqua Brunette, Panama City Resident

Bruce Stitt, West Florida Regional Planning Council, Director of Community Planning

Jim Crumlish, West Florida Regional Planning Council, Evacuation Clearance Regional Planner

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | iii

executive summary

Like all communities in Florida, Panama City is no stranger to disasters. Over the last few

years, major flooding, tornadoes, and coastal storms have torn apart neighborhoods and

damaged public infrastructure. In 1995, Hurricane Opal caused $6 billion in property damages

in northwest Florida. In 2004, Hurricane Ivan made landfall, resulting in $19.2 billion in

damages. While Panama City was not directly hit by either of these hurricanes, the damage

from localized flooding from storm surge, wind, and tornadoes was overwhelming. The city has

been spared from a direct hit by a major disaster over the past few years; however, this in no

way predicts the future. Because of this, the city has decided to take a proactive approach to

planning for long-term redevelopment and recovery by creating the Panama City Post-Disaster

Redevelopment Plan (PDRP).

A PDRP identifies policies, operational strategies, and roles and responsibilities for

implementation that will guide decisions that affect community long-term recovery and

redevelopment after a disaster. The plan emphasizes seizing opportunities for hazard

mitigation and community improvement consistent with the goals of the local comprehensive

plan and with full participation of the citizens. Recovery topics addressed in the plan should

include business resumption and economic redevelopment, housing repair and reconstruction,

infrastructure restoration and mitigation, short-term recovery actions that affect long-term

redevelopment, sustainable land use, environmental restoration, and financial considerations as

well as other long-term recovery issues identified by the community.

Panama City was selected as a pilot community with the Florida Department of Community

Affairs (DCA) and Division of Emergency Management’s PDRP Statewide Initiative, which

entitled the city to technical and financial assistance by both State and Federal resources.

Panama City was the only city included in the initiative to test whether PDRP should be studied

as a single or multi-jurisdictional planning effort. The experiences and lessons learned by the

city will be used in developing statewide guidance for future PDRPs.

Direction for this planning process was provided by the Panama City PDRP Executive

Committee (see page i for membership), a group consisting of Mayor-appointed representatives

from city and county agencies as well as non-profit organizations, economic development

leaders, and other stakeholders in the community. The Panama City PDRP Executive

Committee conducted five formal meetings where they discussed the roles and responsibilities

of all agencies in a post-disaster environment and analyzed a report on the vulnerability of the

community and how their current plans, such as the local comprehensive plan, countywide

hazard mitigation plan, and countywide comprehensive emergency management plan, address

the subject of post-disaster recovery. Ultimately, this led to the identification of post-disaster

redevelopment issues for the community as well as goals and actions necessary to address

these issues. The Panama City PDRP is an ongoing effort and will continue beyond this initial

planning phase. As a next step, the city plans to present this plan to the public to encourage the

involvement of local residents and business owners in the planning process and begin to

implement many of the pre-disaster related actions identified in Section 9.

It is the hope of the PDRP Executive Committee that this document initiates the steps needed to

enable the city to recover from a disaster in the most efficient manner to ensure the long-term

vitality and resiliency of the community.

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | v

table of contents

Page

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................1-1

1.1

Purpose and Authority..........................................................................................1-1

1.2

How to Use this Plan............................................................................................1-1

1.3

Relevant Plans and Policies.................................................................................1-3

2. MAJOR POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT GOALS AND ISSUES...........................2-1

2.1

Land Use and Community Development .............................................................2-1

2.2

Economic Redevelopment ...................................................................................2-3

2.3

Long-Term Infrastructure Repair..........................................................................2-4

2.4

Communications ..................................................................................................2-5

2.5

Post-Disaster Financing and Capacity.................................................................2-6

3. LOCAL PLANS INTEGRATION.........................................................................................3-1

3.1

City of Panama City Comprehensive Plan...........................................................3-1

3.2

Bay County Local Mitigation Strategy ..................................................................3-2

3.3

Bay County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan...............................3-3

3.4

Panama City All-Hazards Disaster Plan...............................................................3-4

3.5

Bay County Transportation Planning Organization: 2030 Long Range

Transportation Plan..............................................................................................3-5

3.6

Bay County Economic Development Alliance Program of Work..........................3-5

4. POST-DISASTER VULNERABILITIES IDENTIFICATION................................................4-1

4.1

Methodology ........................................................................................................4-3

4.2

Housing Vulnerability ...........................................................................................4-6

4.3

Economic Vulnerability.......................................................................................4-13

4.4

Socioeconomic Vulnerabilities ...........................................................................4-23

4.5

Public Infrastructure and Facilities Vulnerability ................................................4-29

4.6

References.........................................................................................................4-38

5. INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY ASSESSMENT ...................................................................5-1

5.1

Existing Capacity..................................................................................................5-1

5.2

Recommendations for Improving Capacity ..........................................................5-2

6. IMPLEMENTATION............................................................................................................6-1

6.1

Organizational Structure and Function.................................................................6-1

6.2

Decision-Making Authority ...................................................................................6-3

6.3

Roles and Responsibilities...................................................................................6-5

6.4

Action Identification, Prioritization, and Implementation.....................................6-11

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6.5

Monitoring, Reporting, and Updating .................................................................6-12

6.6

Training Sessions...............................................................................................6-12

7. POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL RESOURCES .................................7-1

7.1

City Financial Reserves and Revenue Sources...................................................7-1

7.2

Disaster Recovery Financial Resources ..............................................................7-1

8. COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH ................................................................8-1

8.1

Information Collection and Dissemination............................................................8-1

8.2

Public Participation in Redevelopment Decisions................................................8-3

8.3

Regional and State Coordination .........................................................................8-5

9. ACTION PLAN ...................................................................................................................9-1

9.1

Land Use and Community Development Actions.................................................9-2

9.2

Economic Redevelopment ...................................................................................9-5

9.3

Long-Term Infrastructure and Public Facility Repair ............................................9-8

9.4

Communications...................................................................................................9-9

9.5

Local Post-Disaster Financing and Capacity......................................................9-11

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: ADOPTION DOCUMENTATION ............................................................... A-1

APPENDIX B: LOCAL AND STATE POLICIES RELATED TO THE

POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN .......................................... B-1

APPENDIX C: DOCUMENTATION OF PLANNING PROCESS ....................................... C-1

APPENDIX D: MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT ..................................................................... D-1

APPENDIX E: DEBRIS MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS AND SITES ............................... E-1

APPENDIX F: TEMPORARY HOUSING AND DEBRIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

EXAMPLES.................................................................................................F-1

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 1-1

1. introduction

1.1 PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY

The purpose of the Panama City Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan (PDRP) is to

provide the city with a detailed guide for implementing long-term recovery and

redevelopment following a disaster. A PDRP identifies policies, operational strategies,

and roles and responsibilities for implementation that will guide decisions affecting

long-term recovery and redevelopment of the community after a disaster. The plan

emphasizes seizing opportunities for hazard mitigation and community improvement

consistent with the goals of the local comprehensive plan and with full participation of the

citizens. Recovery topics addressed in the plan include business resumption and

economic redevelopment, housing repair and reconstruction, infrastructure restoration

and mitigation, short-term recovery actions that affect long-term redevelopment,

sustainable land use, environmental restoration, and financial considerations as well as

other long-term recovery issues identified by the community. Adopting a PDRP will put

the city in a better position to recover more rapidly and take advantage of mitigation

opportunities to create a more resilient community. The intent of this plan is not to

duplicate what is already included in the Panama City Comprehensive Plan, Bay County

Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), or Bay County Local Mitigation

Strategy (LMS), but rather clearly define the long-term, post-disaster roles and

responsibilities of the city and provide a road map on how to effectively utilize other

planning mechanisms and agencies after a disaster.

Florida regulations require that all coastal jurisdictions prepare a PDRP that “will reduce

or eliminate exposure of human life and public and private property to natural hazards”

(§9J-5.012(3)(b)(8), F.A.C.). See Appendix B for all Statutes and Rules in Florida

related to post-disaster redevelopment planning. This plan implements Policies 5.6.3 to

5.6.9 of the Panama City Comprehensive Plan, which are related to post-disaster

redevelopment. This plan has been developed in accordance with the draft guidelines

developed by the Florida Department of Community Affair’s Statewide PDRP Focus

Group and serves as a pilot for this project.

1.2 HOW TO USE THIS PLAN

The PDRP is meant to serve as a single source for long-term recovery and

redevelopment issues in the city. Due to the identified vulnerabilities of the city, this plan

particularly addresses wind and flood events such as hurricanes, tropical storms, and

tornadoes. There is no clear delineation between the short-term response operations

phase and the recovery and mitigation phases of emergency management. Figure 1.1

shows the cycle of disaster risk management, with the orange and yellow portions

representing the long-term, post-disaster phases that this PDRP is to address.

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Source: Australian Development Gateway

Figure 1.1 Disaster Risk Management Cycle

The Panama City PDRP, a pilot project of the Statewide PDRP Initiative, was developed

using the draft guidelines created by the State Initiative Focus Group. Section 1

(Introduction) describes the foundation and purpose of the plan as well as how to utilize

the plan following a disaster. Section 2 (Major Post-Disaster Redevelopment Goals and

Issues) presents goals and issues identified by the Panama City PDRP Executive

Committee during the planning process that provide the basis for the actions developed

later in the planning process. The first two sections of the plan also serve as an

educational tool for the public or anyone wishing to gain a general understanding of the

PDRP. Section 3 (Local Plans Integration) provides an overview of the existing

planning documents and how they relate to the PDRP and could be further integrated

into the PDRP in future updates. Section 4 (Post-Disaster Vulnerabilities Identification),

an analysis unique to this plan, examines the vulnerability of the city in terms of the built

environment, future development, and social and economic factors. This section is

meant to be used for planning purposes to give a general snapshot of the conditions that

exist in Panama City that could potentially become major issues in a post-disaster

environment. Section 5 (Institutional Capacity Assessment) evaluates what is currently

in place in the city that would be useful during the recovery and redevelopment phase

following a disaster and presents suggestions for future actions that would strengthen

this plan. This section is based on the knowledge obtained during the local plans

assessment and from meetings and interviews with local staff. Section 6

(Implementation), Section 7 (Finance), and Section 8 (Communication) provide the

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 1-3

organizational structure of the plan execution process as well as the financial and

communication resources available at the local level that can aid the city after a disaster.

The final section of the plan, Section 9 (Action Plan), is considered the most important

to the city as it lists the pre- and post-disaster actions necessary in order to recover and

redevelop in the most efficient manner possible. The actions were developed based on

the goals and issues identified during the planning process. While the initial planning

effort has been completed, this is an ongoing process and there are quite a bit of pre-

disaster actions vital to the plan that have not yet been undertaken. This section

identifies these actions and describes the responsible local agency as well as

timeframes and possible funding sources, if needed.

The appendices provide tools and information to guide further development of the PDRP

and, ultimately, plan implementation. Appendix A contains documentation of the

adoption of this plan. Appendix B details all State and local policies that relate to the

PDRP. Appendix C documents the planning process, including a list of attendees at the

various meetings as well summaries of the meetings. Both Appendices D and E

contain current mechanisms in place that will aid the city in the recovery process,

including a mutual aid agreement and pre-arranged debris removal contracts and sites.

Finally, Appendix F includes sample debris management and temporary housing plans

that the city could use during the development of its own plans.

1.3 RELEVANT PLANS AND POLICIES

Currently, the state requirements regarding PDRPs are limited, and there are no federal

requirements governing the plan. The result of the Statewide PDRP Initiative will be

finalized guidelines and possible rule changes with regards to PDRPs; however, as this

initiative is currently in the pilot phase, these will not be available until 2009. At this time,

Florida Statutes require that PDRPs, “at a minimum, establish long-term policies

regarding redevelopment, infrastructure, densities, non conforming uses, and future land

use patterns” (§163.3177(7)(1) F.S.). There are other issues regarding post-disaster

recovery and redevelopment that have been identified, and, at this time, some are

included in other plans such as the CEMP, LMS, and Local Comprehensive Plan. As

previously mentioned, the intent of this plan is not to duplicate the efforts of these other

plans, but to provide a single source for using these plans post-disaster as effectively as

possible and identify further long-term recovery needs. Table 1.1 shows how the

functions of these plans relate to one another concerning hazard issues. Appendix B

contains a detailed list of all relevant policies from these plans that relate to post-disaster

recovery.

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Table 1.1 Florida’s Planning Framework: How Local Plans Address Hazard Issues

Purpose and Use

CEMP LMS

Comp Plan

(coastal)

PDRP

Provide hazard assessment information

✓

✓

✓

Define procedures for evacuation and sheltering services

✓

Define policies for maintaining and enhancing evacuation

clearance times

✓

✓

✓

Define capital expenditure priorities for enhancing evacuation

and sheltering capacities

✓

✓

Define policies and capital expenditure priorities for making the

environment less hazardous

✓

✓

Define policies for making structures more resistant to natural

hazard forces

✓

✓

✓

Define capital expenditure priorities for making public facilities

more resistant to natural hazard forces

✓

✓

Define policies for managing the pre-disaster development and

redevelopment of land exposed to natural hazards

✓

✓

Define operational procedures for post-disaster recovery and

redevelopment

✓

✓

Define policies for governing post-disaster recovery and

redevelopment actions

✓

✓

✓

Source: Florida Department of Community Affairs, 2006

CEMP

= Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

Comp Plan = Local Comprehensive Plan.

LMS

= Local Mitigation Strategy.

PDRP

= Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 2-1

2. major post-disaster redevelopment goals and

issues

This section provides a description of the major goals and issues identified as priorities for the

City of Panama City at this time. These five Topics and their respective Issues have been listed

by priority as assigned by the Executive Community (highest to lowest):

Topic 1. Land Use and Community Development

Issue 1. Streamlining the redevelopment process

Issue 2. Disaster housing

Issue 3. Include mitigation in redevelopment

Issue 4. Affordable and attainable housing

Issue 5. Environmental restoration

Issue 6. Restoration of cultural and historical resources

Topic 2. Economic Redevelopment

Issue 1. Retention of major employers

Issue 2. Local business assistance

Topic 3. Long-Term Infrastructure and Public Facility Repair

Issue 1. Infrastructure and public facility repair

Issue 2. Long-term debris management

Topic 4. Communications

Issue 1. Communications with stakeholders pre-disaster

Issue 2. Communications with stakeholders post-disaster

Topic 5. Local Post-Disaster Financing and Capacity

Issue 1. Local financial reserves

Issue 2. Local capacity

2.1 LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

GOAL: The City of Panama City will strive to manage the recovery and redevelopment

process of the community to aid in rapid recovery while seizing any opportunities that

may arise to redevelop in a more sustainable manner.

1. Streamlining the Redevelopment Process

During recovery from a disaster, emergency procedures need to streamline the various

permitting processes mandated at the local level. While some of these procedures are

out of the jurisdiction of the city, there are local procedures that could be temporarily

altered to assist business owners and residents with recovery. Examples of this could

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include streamlining development orders for affordable housing developments to

function as long-term housing for displaced residents or emergency occupancy

permitting procedures for businesses that must relocate. The determination of which

procedures can be streamlined before a disaster occurs will ensure that considerations

are made for any negative long-term impacts.

2. Disaster Housing

The siting of disaster housing is a short-term recovery measure that has long-term

implications. However, this also is one of the fundamental needs of a community

immediately following a disaster and, if pre-planned, can be a success. The city does

not currently have a disaster housing plan in place to address the needs of the displaced

population; however, plans to undertake this process may be sought in the future. As an

implementation action of the PDRP, the city should pre-identify criteria for temporary

housing types and location to avoid unintended long-term implications such as

incompatible land uses.

3. Include Mitigation in Redevelopment

Rebuilding from a disaster provides an opportunity to mitigate future hazard impacts and

build back a more resilient community. Redevelopment projects, especially those that

are public expenditures, should be examined for mitigation opportunities to ensure that

the city is working to avoid repetitive losses and unnecessary future expenditures.

Hazard mitigation initiatives, such as the following, could be incorporated into the

procedures for development review:

▪ Encourage cluster development on properties that have the potential to negatively

impact natural protective features such as wetlands, floodplains, and coastal

resources.

▪ Recommend the use of setbacks and buffers around natural protective features.

▪ Utilize incentive zoning, allowing developers to exceed certain zoning incentives such

as density. This encourages developers to take hazard mitigation measures such as

the ones listed above.

Following a disaster, the city should enforce rules that require any structure that is

damaged beyond 50% of its total value to be built back to the current building code

standards (Policy 1. 16.2, City of Panama City Comprehensive Plan). If the disaster is a

federally-declared event, the city will be eligible for various mitigation funding

opportunities, including the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant

Program. Both of these resources can be used to incorporate mitigation practices into

the redevelopment process. Examples of eligible projects include hardening or elevation

of structures, acquiring private repetitive loss structures, or relocating public structures

and infrastructure outside of hazard-prone areas. Identifying mitigation projects for

infrastructure and public facilities prior to a disaster and placing them on the LMS Project

List could result in a smart redevelopment decision, potentially saving taxpayers money

and building more resilient structures. Public outreach on mitigation techniques for

private structures (i.e., homes and businesses) before and after a disaster could assist

many in taking extra steps during rebuilding to make their home or business stronger for

the next hurricane.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 2-3

4. Affordable and Attainable Housing

While not currently a major issue for the city, the lack of affordable and attainable

housing could become a problem. A disastrous event can exacerbate the availability of

workforce housing because often pre-code and mobile homes receive an inordinate

share of the damages suffered by the city. A large portion of the city and surrounding

region’s economy is based on the tourism and service industry. Without housing for low

to moderate income residents to occupy, staff support for these two key industries may

become an issue.

5. Environmental Restoration

Environmental restoration is an important component of long-term recovery that helps

restore the quality of life for the community. This topic may include beach restoration in

areas where erosion has taken place or restoring wetlands and coastal vegetation that

provide a natural barrier to wave action from a storm. Pre-disaster policies can be

drafted that discourage the use of structural erosion barriers that limit natural mitigation

and criteria for prioritizing post-disaster property acquisitions for coastal properties that

can be restored as a buffer to storm surge. Other environmental restoration activities

can include the cleanup of hazardous material contamination that could occur from

storm damage. Another environmental issue after a disaster can be restoring the urban

forests that provide cooling and air quality benefits to urban areas.

6. Restoration of Cultural and Historic Resources

The history and culture of Panama City can be found along its coastlines. The city has

made these resources a priority by establishing four CRAs. All four locations are rich in

the history of this community and include working marinas, historic homes, restaurants,

commercial establishments, and parks where the community often meets for festivals.

Three of these areas also are located along the coastline and are vulnerable to coastal

storms and flooding. Section 4 includes an analysis of the vulnerability of historic

structures and the CRAs. The city should incorporate mitigation techniques into future

redevelopment of these areas to ensure that the next generations can enjoy the

community’s history and culture.

2.2 ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT

GOAL: The City of Panama City, the Bay County Economic Development Alliance, and

the Bay County Chamber of Commerce will work in partnership to restore and enhance

the local economy and develop any new economic opportunities that may arise as a

result of a disaster.

1. Retention of Major Employers

If not dependent on a specific location, both large and small businesses that receive a

significant amount of damage may chose to relocate outside of the impacted area. This

can affect the unemployment rate of the city and endanger support or service

businesses dependent on the major employers. Major employers are identified in

Section 4. The city, partnering with the Bay County Economic Development Alliance

and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, could begin conversations with major

employers on their plans for disaster recovery and share the city’s plan that includes

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measures for economic recovery. Members of these major employers and other

interested businesses could become an advisory committee for the PDRP in the future

and continue to meet on a regular basis in order to contribute to post-disaster initiatives.

The city and its partners also should continue these lines of communication and support

immediately following a storm to reassure the businesses that the city is ready to assist.

2. Local Businesses Assistance

Business interruptions and failures from disastrous events can cause significant damage

to the local economy in terms of lost productivity, wages, and employment. Research

from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, consistently

reports that 50% to 70% of businesses either never reopen after a major disaster or fail

shortly after reopening. Small businesses are represented disproportionately higher

among business casualties. This can be attributed to various reasons, including the

extent of damage in a community, timing of re-opening, and lack of financial reserves.

Short periods without cash flow can be damaging, and smaller businesses often are not

supported by loans provided by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in a timely

manner or, occasionally, at all. The State Emergency Bridge Loan Program can help

during these the gaps in financial assistance; but with limited funds, it is often not

enough. The city should explore partnering with the Bay County Economic Development

Alliance and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce to discover other methods of

assistance for local businesses such as resource sharing, coordination, and other

support mechanisms that may involve financial assistance.

2.3 LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC FACILITY REPAIR

GOAL: The City of Panama City will strive to manage debris, restore utilities, and repair

infrastructure efficiently, taking mitigation into consideration during the long-term

redevelopment of infrastructure and structures to ensure that sound public investments

avoid future damages.

1. Infrastructure and Public Facility Repair

The long-term repair of infrastructure and facilities such as major roads, bridges,

wastewater treatment plans, and other utilities is essential to establishing normal

operations within a community. The repair of these types of infrastructure and facilities

is often necessary for other types of recovery and redevelopment efforts to take place.

The Bay County CEMP addresses infrastructure and facility repair for the county;

however, some of the structures and infrastructure are city-owned. Therefore, the city

should have a plan in place, separate from the county plan, to determine how to best

prioritize and carry out these repairs. This plan could be based on Section 4 as well as

other vulnerability analyses in the LMS and CEMP. In addition to this, dates of

construction and whether or not the building or piece of infrastructure has been

hardened can be used to help assess the vulnerability. The city should prioritize the

entire infrastructure and facilities list based on the level of vulnerability and then begin a

long-term plan for the redevelopment. The projects in this plan could then be placed in

the LMS for funding as well as the Capital Improvements Element of the Comprehensive

Plan. The city also should consider the amount of funding that will be required for each

of these projects as well as the timeframes required for project completion when

determining which budget year the project will fall under. The city should then work to

gather all of the information that will be needed to put a grant application together for

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 2-5

programs such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s)

Pre-Disaster Mitigation and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs. These applications are

time consuming to prepare, and in the aftermath of a disaster, mitigation opportunities

are often lost because of the amount of time it takes to prepare the application; staff time

is already being stretched to the maximum. The city also may decide to contract out the

preparation of grant applications. This can be done both before and after the disaster. It

is recommended that the city pre-identify private firms familiar with the Hazard Mitigation

Grant Program and post-disaster mitigation applications processes and possibly enter

into pre-arranged grant writing contracts, as these firms are often in high demand during

the application cycles following a disaster.

In addition, the city should develop a Continuity of Operations Plan that addresses the

relocation of essential functions should these critical facilities be damaged. The city also

should consider (both pre- and post-disaster) how to best incorporate mitigation into the

redevelopment process in order to ensure that sound public expenditures are taking

place and minimize the opportunity of the facility being damaged in the future.

2. Long-Term Debris Management

Debris management is generally considered one of the first things that must be done

before the recovery and redevelopment process can begin. This task is important to

ensure the public safety as people return to their daily routines and try to salvage and

repair what is left of their disaster-damaged businesses or homes. It is important for the

city to identify who will be undertaking the debris removal process as well as where this

debris will be placed. If private property owners decide to relocate, it may lead to delays

in the clean-up process of their property or ultimately in the abandonment of the

property. The city should determine how it will handle the clean-up of these abandoned

properties because they could potentially include hazardous debris. This could be

addressed through close coordination with the county on the enforcement of current

codes and ordinances that address this issue. Also, the city should designate locations

for debris that can become public health concerns, such as large piles of hazardous

materials, etc. All of these issues are very important components of a Debris

Management Plan. The city currently has pre-arranged debris removal contracts as well

as designated places for the management of the debris. These contracts and a map

displaying this information can be found in Appendix E.

While the city has done quite a bit of the groundwork toward a Debris Management Plan,

an approved plan does not currently exist. There are still things the city could do that

could be included in this plan. It is suggested that the city examine the property

currently designated for debris management and determine if it meets the environmental

requirements. In addition, the city should determine the pre-existing conditions of both

the soil and groundwater in this area to have a benchmark for the conditions to which it

must be restored after use. The city may also wish to develop building material reuse

and recycle drop off points. Often in a rush to rebuild, there are many left over

construction materials left unutilized. These could be dropped off at designated sites for

reuse. In order to make this a success, the city must develop a well thought out process

for exchange as well as a public education campaign on the recycle and reuse program.

Once the city finalizes its Debris Management Plan, it should then replace the document

presented in Appendix E.

2-6 | panama city plans integration assessment

2.4 COMMUNICATIONS

GOAL: The City of Panama City will work to ensure that there are open lines of

effective communication between city officials, partnering agencies, and the public with

regard to post-disaster redevelopment so that all stakeholders are involved in the

recovery planning process both prior to and following a disaster.

1. Communicating with Stakeholders Pre-Disaster

Establishing lines of communication before a disaster strikes helps create a sense of

reassurance in the community. Residents and business owners understand that the

community is taking a proactive approach to redevelopment planning when this

communication structure exists, and this effort transmits the message that recovery is

important to the community. This involves both educating stakeholders on the

post-disaster recovery procedures and actions in addition to how the plan will be

implemented in the aftermath of a disaster as well as explaining to the public the types of

things that they can expect after a disaster and educating them on what they can do to

prepare for long-term recovery. The city should continue its efforts to involve all local

stakeholders, including business owners and residents, in the process to ensure that the

PDRP has public support and that the actions can be implemented in both the pre- and

post-disaster environments. More information on the city’s plan to communicate with

stakeholders before a disaster strikes can be found in Section 8.

2. Communicating with Stakeholders Post-Disaster

Creating strong lines of communication during the recovery phase of disaster will further

the initial reassurance created during the pre-disaster communication efforts. This is

accomplished by creating central hubs for information dissemination, such as Disaster

Recovery Centers (DRC) for both residents and business owners. Information on

temporary housing and commercial rental space should be provided as well as

information on financial aid and assistance. Also, this is a good place to locate a list of

licensed and insured contractors that can perform repair work and the necessary forms

needed by building officials for permitting. The city should pre-determine the types of

information that will be needed at these centers and develop tools for use. Also, the city

should pre-determine staffing for these centers. As these DRCs will most likely be

needed by the entire county, the city should coordinate this effort with surrounding

jurisdictions and the county. This will convey a strong sense that the city is there to help

and discourage the relocation of businesses and residents.

In addition to this, communication techniques aimed at creating a sense of recovery can

be used to encourage relocated citizens to return to the area and retain the current

population, creating a positive message about the city’s recovery to both the tourism

industry and possible business investors. This can be accomplished through public

outreach campaigns and a variety of media outlets such as websites, newsletters,

television, etc. Direct lines of communication with both residents and business owners

that received an extensive amount of damage are also important when undertaking a

detailed redevelopment effort of these concentrated areas. The community should have

a voice in how an area is redeveloped. This can be accomplished using a localized

visioning process involving charettes. More information on the positive redevelopment

campaign as well as the visioning process and other methods of communication

following a disaster can be found in Section 8.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 2-7

2.5 LOCAL POST-DISASTER FINANCING AND CAPACITY

GOAL: The City of Panama City will ensure an efficient recovery by ear-marking

financial reserves needed, pre-identifying staff capacity and limitations, and taking action

to remedy these limitations in both the pre- and post-disaster environment.

1. Local Financial Reserves

Financial reserves for disaster recovery are necessary to ensure that the city is fiscally

able to fund the recovery and redevelopment process. While there are many different

federal and state sources for financial aid, these often require a match. Without a

sufficient amount of capital available to cover the match, the city will quickly find itself in

debt. Just as the local economy will take a substantial hit following a disaster, local

government revenue sources will as well because communities often experience a loss

in tax revenue due to the decrease in property values and increases in bond defaults,

bankruptcies, and mortgage foreclosures. The city should look at its current financial

reserve and assess its regular revenue sources for potential post-disaster impacts.

Alternative solutions for dealing with a post-disaster budget crisis should be explored

pre-disaster so that the city can ensure all levels of service are maintained or enhanced

as necessary after a disaster. This is discussed in detail in Section 7.

2. Local Capacity

The capacity to manage a recovery effort can often exceed the capabilities of a local

government. Tasks such as debris management, the management of the FEMA

reimbursement process, grant writing, and development order review can overwhelm

local staff, many of whom are having to manage their own personal recovery efforts.

Mutual aid and interlocal agreements with other cities are often used to supplement the

efforts of local staff. Currently, the city has a mutual aid agreement in place with the City

of Naples and the City of Port Orange. Panama City should examine the services

provided under their current agreements to determine if they should be augmented to

include more. Another resource for providing additional assistance to a local

government is contracting disaster recovery and management services to firms who

specialize in this type of work. Pre-arranging contracts prior to a disaster ensures that a

community can activate these contracts as quickly as possible. At this time, the city has

a pre-arranged contract for debris management; however, it could consider developing

contracts for other types of services as well.

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 3-1

3. local plans integration

The purpose of the PDRP is to guide the redevelopment decision-making process following a

disaster in a manner consistent with the local comprehensive plan, LMS, CEMP, Land

Development Regulations, and economic development plan for the county. Therefore, during

the planning process, it is important to examine these plans to determine 1) how well Panama

City currently accomplishes this goal; 2) if there are components that could be improved to

further this goal; and 3) which elements of these plans should be included in the PDRP. When

a community examines other planning mechanisms and integrates the goals and principals of

these plans into one another, they create a multi-faceted planning program that is much more

effective than the individual stand-alone plans. Panama City has a variety of planning

documents that guide its every day decision-making process with regards to economic

development, land use, transportation, mitigation, and emergency management. For this

assessment, the following city and countywide plans were reviewed:

▪ The City of Panama City Comprehensive Plan (2000)

▪ The Bay County Local Mitigation Strategy (2005)

▪ The Bay County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (2004)

▪ Panama City All-Hazards Disaster Plan (2006)

▪ The Bay County Transportation Planning Organization 2030 Long Range Transportation

Plan (2007)

▪ The Bay County Economic Development Alliance Program of Work (2008)

3.1 CITY OF PANAMA CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

The City has a well developed comprehensive plan with regards to post-disaster

redevelopment issues and activities. The following is summary of the relevant policies

found in the Plan. See Appendix B for the complete list of policies.

Economic Development

1. Contains a Special Industrial District that recognizes the need for industrial activities

to support the local economy, while providing protection for environmentally

sensitive areas (Policy 1.1.1, 7(a)).

2. Focuses on industrial and manufacturing jobs within the city (Objective 1.17).

3. Promotes economic development and coordination with the Bay County Chamber of

Commerce and Economic Development Alliance (Policy 1.17.2).

4. Promotes the identification and attraction of new industries with growth potential in

the city (Policy 1.18.2).

Mitigation

5. Recognizes the City’s Flood Prevention Ordinance and ensures enforcement

(Policy 1.1.4(7)).

6. Limits coastal development in order to maintain current evacuation clearance times

(Objective 1.5).

7. Contains the intent to provide a drainage program that will provide reasonable

protection from flood damage to public and private property (Goal 4).

3-2 | panama city plans integration assessment

8. Contains a strong coastal management element that aims to maintain the quality of

coastal resources by restricting development activities that damage or destroy

coastal resources (Goal 5).

9. Integrates hazard mitigation into the comprehensive plan and states the intent to

incorporate future recommendations of the LMS into the plan (Policies 5.6.7 to

5.6.8).

10. Includes hazard mitigation provisions in the Post Master Sub-Element (Goal 2).

Emergency Management

11. Prohibits the location of special needs facilities in the hurricane evacuation zone

(Policy 1.5.1).

12. Takes a regional approach to stormwater management and includes policies to

protect natural drainage features (Policies 1.12.3 to 1.12.4).

13. References a city-maintained list of elderly, handicapped, or infirmed persons that

might require special evacuation assistance (Policy 5.5.3).

14. Commitment to maintain existing evacuation times by limiting density and intensity

of land uses and incorporate this information into the County CEMP (Policy 5.6.10).

Redevelopment

15. Promotes redevelopment of blighted areas (Objective 1.3).

16. Has a non-conforming use clause that disallows the redevelopment of a structure

that is damaged to the extent of 50% or more of its replacement cost unless

approved by the City Commission (Policy 1.16.2).

17. Contains policies aimed at eliminating sub-standard housing (Objective 3.2).

18. States that post-disaster redevelopment will be undertaken in conformance to the

City’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance and Land Development Regulations

(Policy 5.6.3).

19. Contains policies stating the permit process for short- and long-term recovery

following a disaster (Policy 5.6.4 to 5.6.5).

20. Incorporates hazard mitigation into the post-disaster redevelopment permit review

process (Policy 5.6.6).

21. States that repetitive loss structures will be modified or removed during the

post-disaster redevelopment process (Policy 5.6.9).

Comments: The plan provides a great base for integrating hazard mitigation into future

development as well as a strong focus on economic development. In the future update

of this plan, the city should examine the goals and actions outlined in the PDRP to

develop the additional policies that support post-disaster redevelopment planning.

3.2 BAY COUNTY LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY

The Bay County LMS includes a detailed assessment the post-disaster redevelopment

process of the city and its risks that is important to. The following is a summary of the

relevant information found in the plan. See Appendix B for a complete list of relevant

information.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 3-3

1. Discusses the hazards to which the city is vulnerable and what impacts they may

have on the city.

2. Incorporates current and future land uses and growth trends.

3. Includes a risk assessment for the city.

4. Contains a list of critical facilities located in the city and their level of vulnerability

(not for public disclosure).

5. Identifies the Panama City Point of Contact for the LMS.

6. Includes a mitigation project for the city.

Comments: The plan provides detailed text on the risk and vulnerability of the city. In

the future, the plan may include wildfire as a hazard in the city. According to the Florida

Risk Assessment System, there are some areas with a moderate to high risk for wildfire.

Also, the city may wish to include more mitigation projects on the prioritized project list

as there are only a few currently listed. Listing these projects in the LMS can provide

grant funding for the city in regards to post-disaster redevelopment and mitigation

actions. Maps could also be helpful when describing the risk and vulnerability faced by

the community. The city could also consider taking a more active role in the Bay County

LMS Committee and the LMS update that will be completed in 2010. Many of the

actions identified in the Action Plan of this PDRP should be placed on the LMS

Prioritized Project List for funding. By taking a more active role in the committee, the city

will be able to apply for grant funding to implement the actions when available because

this is a good source of funding for the city.

3.3 BAY COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Bay County CEMP contains the operational procedures for the preparedness,

response, recovery, and mitigation phases of a disaster. The following is a summary of

the relevant information found in the plan. See Appendix B for a complete list of

relevant pieces.

1. Contains a statement that declares its purpose to predetermine actions to be taken

by Bay County and its municipalities to prevent disasters, reduce the vulnerability of

the community, and provide for the recovery after a disaster (BP-2).

2. Includes an economic profile of the county (BP-17).

3. Defines the following levels of disaster: minor, major, and catastrophic (BP-19).

4. Addresses mutual aid agreements (BP-19 and BP-32).

5. Describes the Executive Section as responsible for the decision-making process

with both county and city divisions (BP-21).

6. Acknowledges that long-term recovery could take years to complete (BP-23).

7. Discusses the steps taken during the recovery phase, including short- and long-term

recovery efforts (BP-28 to BP-31).

8. Describes the role of each section in the recovery process (BP-41 to BP-45).

9. Discusses recovery information dissemination to the public (BP-50).

10. Includes the Bay County Comprehensive Plan as one of the plans that provides the

basis for emergency management operations in Bay County.

11. Identifies Fire Stations as the appropriate location for disaster services coordination

because they are positioned throughout the county (BP-59).

12. States that Bay County will use their tourist accommodations for temporary housing

(i.e., hotels and condos) in the event of a disaster. If not available, the county will

request portable housing in the nearest safe location (BP-67).

3-4 | panama city plans integration assessment

13. Declares that the Public Works Section is responsible for coordinating the

Preliminary Damage Assessment, Debris Removal, restoration of critical services,

and facilities, and repair of damaged infrastructure (ICSS-2).

14. Determines that the Finance Section is responsible for tracking all related response

and recovery costs and evaluating overall financial impact (ICSS-2).

15. Assigns responsibility for providing facilities, services, and materials to support all

response and recovery operations as well as the establishment of the VOAD,

Transportation and Resource Management Group to the Logistics Section (ICSS-2).

Comments: The Bay County CEMP is a document that meets the needs of the county

in an emergency situation. Although the fact that coordination with municipalities will

take place is mentioned briefly in the document, it is unclear how it relates to the

municipal disaster planning documents and structures currently in place. There also

seem to be a few charts and a matrix missing that might be helpful when examining the

response and recovery format. During the second Panama City PDRP Executive

Committee meeting, it was pointed out that the current Bay County CEMP is not NIMS

compliant and is currently undergoing a revision. Also, the County has reported that in

the future, the size and structure of the new Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be

able to accommodate more personnel to allow for better city-county communications

during disaster recovery. The city may wish to take a pro-active role with the County

and, while this process is currently undefined, offer to help them structure how

municipalities will be included in disaster recovery issues in the future.

3.4 PANAMA CITY ALL-HAZARDS DISASTER PLAN

The City of Panama City has several disaster plan documents that describe internal

disaster response and recovery efforts. Many of these documents are considered to be

confidential and are, therefore, not included; however, a list of what is available has

been included below.

▪ Detailed response and recovery plans for the Panama City police and fire

departments.

▪ An Interlocal Agreement for Mutual Aid with the City of Port Orange and the City of

Naples.

▪ An all-hazards disaster response and recovery plan that looks similar to the CEMP

and includes the organizational structure for response and recovery following a

disaster.

Comments: The city’s disaster plans currently focus on response and short-term

recovery and are best suited for minor disaster events. In the Panama City All-Hazards

Disaster Plan, the final phase of recovery addressed is the public damage assessment.

This plan should transition into the Panama City PDRP, following this last phase. The

city may wish to take a comprehensive look at their overall emergency management

process and see what pieces are missing. The PDRP will most likely fill the gap for

long-term recovery and also address some mitigation measures. While the county is

currently revising their CEMP, the city may want to look at their own response and

short-term recovery programs and ensure that they fit in with the overall effort at the

county level.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 3-5

3.5 BAY COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION: 2030 LONG

RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN

Panama City participates in the Bay County Transportation Organization along with the

unincorporated county and all other municipalities within Bay County. Their Long Range

Transportation Plan addresses the roads and highway needs of this area projected out

23 years. The majority of the projects on the needs assessment address the widening of

existing roads. The Goals and Objectives found in this document address the following

two issues that relate to disaster recovery:

▪ Environmental Preservation, including the protection of water recharge areas.

▪ Public Safety.

Comments: While the three categories above have post-disaster redevelopment

implications, they do not address these issues from a hazard mitigation point of view.

The city may wish to recommend the inclusion of hazard mitigation principles in the

Needs Assessment and Goals and Objectives at the time of the next update.

Additionally, the city may wish to connect some of these needs that have mitigation

benefits back to the hazard mitigation plan prioritized project list to ensure that it is

eligible for any Federal or State mitigation funds that may become available. During the

long-term redevelopment phase following a disaster is the time to look at how the city

will rebuild its infrastructure and take advantage of any new opportunities that my exist to

ensure that the roads or structures are mitigated against the impacts of disasters.

3.6 BAY COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE PROGRAM OF WORK

The Bay County Economic Development Alliance, in cooperation with the Bay County

Chamber of Commerce, represents all of the municipalities within the county. The

Program of Work for 2008 contains the strategic goals and objectives for the

organizations with regards to economic development. The following is a summary of the

relevant information found in the plan:

▪ States the need to facilitate new investment and job creation (p.1).

▪ Expresses the need to foster strong community relations with companies that show

signs of growth potential or negative growth (p.1).

▪ Maintains and project strong presence at specific target industry (p. 2).

▪ Maintains a current inventory of available buildings and sites in Bay County suitable

for commercial/industrial use and conducts the necessary research to provide a

professional response to inquiries (p. 3).

▪ Develops and maintains good relationships with key management personnel from key

area employers

o Organizes monthly industrial industry visits with volunteers from Existing Industry

Committee.

o Organizes quarterly meetings of the Manufacturers Roundtable and Defense

Contractors Roundtable.

o Continues company interviews with the Insights program (p. 5).

▪ Identifies and conducts proper follow-up on companies who have indicated signs of

growth potential or early signs of distress.

o Maintain current inventive information and serve as a facilitator and advocate in

their applications for state and local incentives/grants (p. 5).

3-6 | panama city plans integration assessment

Comments: The Bay County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development

Alliance work diligently to develop and maintain a relationship with business owners

within the county. This relationship could be utilized following a disaster to help

establish lines of communication to allow the business owners to properly convey their

needs. This would help to create a positive image of recovery in the business

community and dissuade businesses from relocating to less vulnerable areas outside of

the county.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-1

4. post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

This section identifies vulnerabilities that may affect the speed and/or quality of post-disaster

long-term recovery and redevelopment in Panama City. Natural hazard risk assessments that

include Panama City are available in the Local Mitigation Strategy and Comprehensive

Emergency Management Plan of Bay County. This analysis goes beyond what is available in

current risk assessments, but the hazard risk assessments can provide valuable background

information and should be used as a supplement to this section.

The main categories of post-disaster recovery compatible with a spatial analysis of

vulnerabilities are housing, economic, socioeconomic, and public facilities and infrastructure.

The hazards analyzed for these recovery categories are hurricane-strength winds, flood, and

storm surge. As Panama City is located on the Bay, it is assumed hurricane wind exposure will

be fairly constant throughout the city. Flood and storm surge, however, have mapped

boundaries and these zones can be used to delineate vulnerable structures and public facilities.

Figure 4.1 presents the storm surge and flood zones in Panama City. Of the land within

Panama City, 44% is within a storm surge and/or flood zone.

Section 4.1 explains the methodology used to identify post-disaster vulnerabilities, including

limitations of the analysis and assumptions

(Sidebars 4.1 and 4.2).

Section 4.2 details the vulnerability of the city’s

housing stock to wind, flood, and storm surge.

This information is an essential foundation for

understanding potential post-disaster temporary

housing and redevelopment needs. Historic

structures and the role of the CRAs also are

discussed.

Sidebar 4.1 Analysis/Data

Limitations

1. This analysis does not capture every

housing or business structure in Panama

City due to error and data that may be

missing or miscategorized. The analysis

is useful for planning purposes and

understanding the city’s vulnerability and

general spatial attributes. This analysis

should not be used in any

decision-making at a parcel level.

2. Data on land uses and structures are

always changing. As this report is being

compiled, vacant land is being developed,

older structures are being renovated or

demolished, and new structures are being

built. This analysis offers a snapshot of

current conditions useful for several years

of an overall understanding of the city’s

vulnerabilities.

Section 4.3 provides an overview of Panama

City’s economy and discusses the vulnerability of

business structures to wind, flood, and storm

surge.

Section 4.4 includes some basic socioeconomic

indicators that could provide insight for planning

post-disaster assistance programs.

Section 4.5 details structural vulnerabilities of

Panama City’s public facilities and property

holdings; examines the exposure of city roads;

and presents city-owned and privately owned

vacant land that could present opportunities for

temporary uses, redevelopment, or conservation

after a disaster.

4-2 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.1 Storm Surge and Flood Zones in Panama City

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-3

4.1 METHODOLOGY

To identify specific vulnerabilities that

may affect post-disaster redevelopment,

geographic information system (GIS)

analyses were performed to map

vulnerable areas of the city as well as

tabulate estimates of vulnerable

structures, population, and public

facilities. The main sources of GIS data

used were obtained from the Bay County

GIS Department and include property

appraiser parcel database, flood zone,

and storm surge zone shapefiles. A full

list of data sources is included in

Table 4.1. There were limitations to the

data used and, therefore, limitations in

how this analysis can be used

(Sidebar 4.1). Several assumptions

were made so that conclusions could be

drawn, and these are detailed in Sidebar 4.2.

Sidebar 4.2 Analysis Assumptions

1. Using the Bay County Property

Appraiser field “effective year built” for

structures will capture major renovations

to older homes in order to bring them up

to the code requirements for the year in

which the renovations were done.

2. Structures built prior to floodplain

regulations (1982 city ordinance) or

strengthened building codes (Florida

Building Code 2001) are assumed to

have not been mitigated for hurricane

wind or flood and/or storm surge impacts.

Table 4.1 Geographic Information System (GIS) Data Sources Used

Sources

Data Type

Date

Created

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

List of Panama City Major Employers

Unknown

Bay County GIS

Bay County Boundary

1998

Bay County GIS

Community Redevelopment Agencies

2005

Bay County GIS

Database of Roads Within County

2007

Bay County Property Appraiser

Land Ownership and Assessment Parcels

2007

Bureau of Archaeological Research

Location of Historic Structures

2008

Federal Emergency Management Ageny Flood Insurance Rate Map Zones

2002

Panama City GIS

City-Owned Property Parcels and Uses

Unknown

Panama City GIS

Comprehensive Plan Land Use by Parcel

Unknown

Panama City GIS

Panama City Boundary

2007

Panama City GIS

Special Treatment Zones

Unknown

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Storm Surges by Category

1999

U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2000

Census Block Groups (income, poverty)

2000

U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2000

Census Blocks (race, age)

2000

Property Parcels

The Bay County Property Appraiser shapefile was clipped to the extent of the city limits

of Panama City, resulting in a shapefile with 17,597 records or parcels. The parcels

were then assigned pertinent variables, such as storm surge and flood zones as

described below. Parcels that had a structure recorded with a structure appraisal type

4-4 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

(i.e., S1APPTYPE field in shapefile) were then assigned to a structure use category, as

defined for this analysis.

If a structure assigned to one of these categories did not have an effective year built

recorded (i.e., S1YRBLTEFF field in shapefile), it was not included in the analysis. An

exception was made for 21 condominium developments (670 property parcels) where

estimated year built dates were based on a public records search for “declaration of

condominium” dates. Each of the remaining parcels with a structure effective year built

value was assigned an assumed wind vulnerability category of Least Vulnerable, More

Vulnerable, or Most Vulnerable based on its effective year built. The dates associated

with each wind vulnerability category are detailed in Table 4.2. The Least Vulnerable

category is based on the date that the Florida Building Code (FBC) became effective

(1 March 2002) and all structures built after this date must meet this code, which has

higher standards for hurricane wind protection than previous codes. Under the 2001

FBC, all structures in Panama City were required to meet 110 mph or more wind speed

design standards (Florida Department of Community Affairs, date unknown). The More

and Most Vulnerable categories are based on a study by the University of Florida (UF)

that found after the 2004 hurricane season in Florida, homes built before 1994 sustained

the most damage while homes built between 1994 and 2002 (when the FBC became

effective) sustained more damage than post-FBC homes but less than pre-1994 homes

(UF, 2005). If this analysis is to be repeated in Panama City, it is suggested that an

additional category be added to account for improvements in homes built after 2007

when the wind-borne debris exception was removed from the FBC for the Florida

panhandle and increased wind loads were required. However, the number of new

homes built after 2007 is not large enough to warrant an additional category for the

analysis at this time.

Table 4.2 Wind Vulnerability Categories

Wind Vulnerability

Category

Structure Effective Year Built

Range

Least

2002 to present

More

1994 to 2001

Most

Before 1994

Storm Surge Zones

Previously mapped storm surge zones provided by Bay County’s GIS Department were

intersected with property parcels clipped to the Panama City city limits. The parcel data

were then encoded with the storm surge category it fell within, if any. Parcels that

belong to more than one storm surge zone were coded with the lowest zone (i.e., if a

parcel fell on a boundary between Hurricane Category 1 Storm Surge and Hurricane

Category 2 Storm Surge, it was coded as being exposed to Hurricane Category 1 Storm

Surge).

Available point data, such as historic structures and major employers, were also

intersected with storm surge zones to tabulate how many fell within each zone.

Throughout this analysis, structures and other data reported with a lower Hurricane

Category Storm Surge were not recounted in Higher Hurricane Category Storm Surge

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-5

Zones to avoid duplication (i.e., a structure in a Hurricane Category 1 Storm Surge Zone

is also at risk from Hurricane Category 2 to 5 Storm Surges, but is only counted in one

zone). Summary tabulations throughout the analysis provide total numbers for each of

the larger hurricane categories, while fields labeled for a specific hurricane category only

include a net increase from the lower

category.

Flood Zones

Sidebar 4.3 Flood Zone

Definitions

V zones are areas closest to the

shoreline and subject to wave action,

high-velocity flow, and erosion during

the 100-year flood.

A zones are areas subject to flooding

during the 100-year flood, but where

flood conditions are less severe than

those in V zones.

An “E” following a V or A zone

designates that a base flood elevation

(BFE) has been defined for those

zones.

As to be expected, most of the VE and AE

flood zone areas also are within one of the

storm surge zones and some overlap also

occurs between A zones and storm surge

zones. (Definitions for flood zone

categories are presented in Sidebar 4.3).

Throughout the analysis, labels will define

whether the structure or other data are

found within both a storm surge zone and

flood zone or if they are in a flood zone

outside of a storm surge zone.

As with storm surge zones, the parcel layer

was intersected with flood zones and

encoded for the zone it fell within, if any.

Parcels partially within a flood zone were

coded as being in the zone for the purpose

of this analysis. Parcels that fell within

more than one zone were coded with the zone subject to the most severe flood

conditions or that had the most information defined – VE has the potential for the

greatest impacts, then AE since it has a BFE defined, then A.

Historic Structures

The Florida Master Site File’s shapefile of historic structures was clipped to the city limits

of Panama City, and records of structures that had been destroyed were deleted from

the file. Structure uses designated in the file were recategorized into either housing or

business use. The file was intersected with storm surge and flood zone shapefiles to

access how many structures were found in these zones. This file also was intersected

with the city’s special treatment historical districts.

City-Owned Property

City-owned parcels were compared with the larger parcel file. Property uses in the

city-owned file were used rather than the categories from the rest of the analysis

because they included more detail.

Census Demographics

Percents for population in each block or block group, depending on availability of data at

each level, were calculated for age, minority, and below poverty. Blocks without

population were not displayed on the maps.

4-6 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

4.2 HOUSING VULNERABILITY

One of the more essential components of successful recovery from a major disaster

depends on the quality of the community’s housing stock. Knowing the vulnerability of

the housing stock can enable the city to plan for temporary housing needs, assist

residents with post-disaster repairs and rebuilding,

and make policy decisions that will result in more

sustainable redevelopment. Panama City has a

population of 36,807, or approximately 16,003

households, which will hopefully return after a

disaster (U.S. Census Quickfacts, 2000). With a

median household income of $31,572 and 17.2%

of the population below poverty, many of the city’s

current residents may have difficulty finding or

rebuilding affordable housing after a disaster (U.S.

Census Quickfacts, 2000). The following maps

(Figures 4.2 to 4.5) and tables (Tables 4.3 to 4.8)

present best estimates of wind and flood/storm

surge vulnerabilities of the housing stock.

Wind Vulnerability

As Figure 4.2 clearly shows, a majority of the housing stock was built before 1994 (i.e.,

94% of the dwelling units analyzed) and, therefore, has a higher probability of sustaining

wind damage during a hurricane. It is possible that many of the older homes in the city

may have been built to very high standards or that the owners may have made

mitigation improvements to make the structure more resistant to hurricane-force winds,

but there are no available data to reflect these potentials in this study. Table 4.3 breaks

down wind vulnerability estimates among housing types. Single-family housing is the

most vulnerable as well as the most common housing type in the city.

Table 4.3 Housing Wind Vulnerability (dwelling units)

Housing Type Least Vulnerable More Vulnerable Most Vulnerable

Total

Single Family

311

1,084

9,415

10,810

Multi Family

463

164

1,578

2,205

Mobile Home

9

35

117

161

Total

783

1,283

11,110

13,176

Also of interest, 19% of the most vulnerable homes are located within an existing Community

Redevelopment Agency Area (CRA) as shown in Figure 4.2 and Table 4.4. CRA everyday

functions and existing plans may allow redevelopment after a disaster in these areas to be done

in a more deliberate, planned manner and, therefore, require less focus in this plan.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-7

Figure 4.2 Level of Wind Vulnerability of Housing Stock

A majority of Panama City’s housing stock are single-family homes built prior to the Florida

Building Code (FBC). While some of these homes may adequately stand up to

hurricane-force winds, history has shown that homes meeting FBCs are less likely to sustain

damages from a hurricane.

4-8 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.3 Location of Historic Structures

58% of the historic structures in Panama City are located within a storm surge zone. All historic structures

have a high risk of sustaining damage from hurricane-force winds because modern building codes with

high wind standards were not in place when these structures were built.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-9

Figure 4.4 Housing in Flood and/or Storm Surge Zones Assumed to be Non-Elevated

Residential structures are assumed to be non-elevated if built prior to floodplain regulations

adopted in 1982 or if the dwelling is located in a storm surge zone that is outside of a

designated FEMA flood zone because elevation regulations do not apply to these areas.

4-10 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.5 Housing Vulnerable to Wind and Flood/Storm Surge

Housing that was built pre-FBC and is located in a flood and/or storm surge zone has the

greatest probability of being substantially damaged. The clusters apparent in the above map

could provide planners with likely areas to locate temporary housing and priority areas for

redevelopment planning and assistance after a disaster.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-11

Table 4.4 Housing Most Vulnerable to Wind by Community

Redevelopment Agency (CRA) (dwelling units)

CRA District

Single

Family

Multi

Family

Mobile

Home

Total

Downtown CRA/DIB

40

20

0

60

Downtown North CRA

935

91

8

1,034

Millville CRA

677

83

11

771

St. Andrews CRA

161

40

1

202

Total

1,813

234

20

2,067

Sidebar 4.4 Hurricane Storm Surge

Categories

To avoid duplicating the number of

structures in each zone throughout this

analysis, only the net increase from one

zone to the next is shown in the tables,

unless it is labeled as cumulative totals.

The table below summarizes the cumulative

number of housing units for each surge

zone detailed in Table 4.5. So while only

1,880 homes are additionally at risk from a

Category 5 Hurricane, a Category 5 could

potentially impact all 4,176 homes in a

surge zone.

Cumulative storm surge housing totals

Category 1

390

Category 2

809

Category 3 1,328

Category 4 2,296

Category 5 4,176

Another important factor in planning for housing disaster needs involves determining the

process for dealing with historic homes that may be damaged. Figure 4.3 displays the

location of all historic structures, 80% of which are homes. Obviously, all historic

structures were built prior to 1994 and fall within the Most Vulnerable wind category.

Mitigating historic structures to better withstand hurricanes is limited and costly if it is on

the National Register of Historic Places, which is regulated by the Secretary of the

Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (Florida Department of State, 2006). These rules

also apply if a registered historic structure requires repairs from impacts of a hurricane or

another hazard. Identification of historic structures during the damage assessment and

rebuilding phases after a disaster event is important to ensure opportunities to preserve

and restore historically significant structures are not lost. Only 40% of historic homes in

Panama City listed in the State’s database are located in a designated Historic Special

Treatment Done. While not all of the structures listed in the database have been

evaluated and may not be significant,

there is a potential that many could be

overlooked during recovery efforts due to

their being located outside of the historic

treatment zones.

Flood and Storm Surge Vulnerability

Figure 4.4 depicts all property parcels

containing housing structures assumed

to be non-elevated that fall within storm

surge or flood zones in the city. Of the

housing structures analyzed in this study,

38% are located in a flood and/or storm

surge zone. Table 4.5 details the

housing types and what flood/storm

surge zone they are located in.

Sidebar 4.4 summarizes the number of

homes at risk for the five hurricane

categories. Many of the structures

located in storm surge zones also are

located in a flood zone but were built

before 1982 elevation requirements were

enacted. Of the assumed non-elevated

homes at risk from flood or storm surge

impacts, 12% are located in a CRA

district (Table 4.6).

4-12 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Table 4.5 Housing in a Flood and/or Storm Surge Zone Assumed Non-Elevated

(dwelling units)

Housing Type

A

AE Cat. 1 Cat. 2 Cat. 3 Cat. 4 Cat. 5

Total

Single Family

299

1

335

362

466

767

1,463

3,693

Multi Family

80

0

54

57

53

178

367

789

Mobile Home

7

0

1

0

0

23

50

81

Total

386

1

390

419

519

968

1,880

4,563

Table 4.6 Non-Elevated Housing in Flood/Surge Zones by

Community Redevelopment Agency (dwelling units)

CRA District

Single

Family

Multi

Family

Mobile

Home

Total

Downtown CRA/DIB

6

14

0

20

Downtown North CRA

112

41

0

153

Millville CRA

117

1

5

123

St. Andrews CRA

154

107

0

261

Total

389

163

5

557

Of the historic homes in Panama City, 58% are located within a storm surge zone

(Table 4.7). Only one historic structure is located in a flood zone that is not also a storm

surge zone. As discussed in relation to wind vulnerability, mitigating impacts by flood or

storm surge to historic structures without altering their character is difficult and

expensive. Knowing the vulnerability of these historic homes can lead to city or

community group actions to prepare in case many of these homes are destroyed or

damaged; mitigation funding opportunities also could be sought to prevent the most

vulnerable historic structures from being damaged. Mississippi’s coast lost many

historically significant structures to storm surge, forever changing the character of many

towns and landscapes along the coast.

Table 4.7 Residential Historic Structures in Storm

Surge Zones

Storm Surge

Zone

Number of

Structures

Cumulative Total in

Storm Surge Zone

1

1

1

2

43

44

3

44

88

4

40

128

5

94

222

Total

222

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-13

Vulnerable to Wind and

Flood/Storm Surge

Panama City’s location

along the coast means that

much of the housing must

be able to withstand

hurricane-force winds at

landfall as well as storm

surge and possible

rain-related flooding. The

housing clusters with a

greater probability for wind

damage (those built prior to

the FBC) and located in a

flood or storm surge zone

should be identified as post-disaster planning priorities. Figure 4.5 shows the property

parcels that contain Panama City’s highly vulnerable housing structures, 32% of the total

housing structures analyzed. Those that fall within Hurricane Category 1 and 2 Storm

Surge Zones (Table 4.8) are especially hot spots for post-disaster preparation because

less intense hurricanes have a greater occurrence of making landfall. Of the 557 homes

within a CRA district that were vulnerable to flood and/or storm surge, 82% were also

built prior to the FBC and are, therefore, some of the Most Vulnerable housing in

Panama City (Table 4.6). Also, all 222 historic structures located in a storm surge zone

are most vulnerable to wind as well due to their age (Table 4.7).

Table 4.8 Housing Vulnerable to Wind and Flood/Storm Surge

(dwelling units)

Housing Type

AE

A

Cat. 1 Cat. 2 Cat. 3 Cat. 4 Cat. 5 Total

Single Family

1 376

333

341

371

643

1,303

3,368

Multi Family

0

80

54

56

36

126

311

663

Mobile Home

0

7

1

0

0

18

35

61

Total

1 463

388

397

407

787

1,649

4,092

4.3 ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY

Researchers are working to better understand economic recovery after a disaster. A few

key conclusions that have been widely agreed on so far include the following:

▪ Structural mitigation to reduce physical damages is not sufficient to help businesses

survive.

▪ Business interruptions resulting in lost income are one of the major factors for

business failure (i.e., power and Internet loss, down time for structure repair or

relocation, disruption of materials flow, customer loss, and employee loss).

▪ Lack of insurance, cash, or savings and slow access to loans can mean ruin for a

small business.

▪ Businesses whose customers are not adversely affected by the disaster have a better

chance of surviving.

▪ Businesses with more than one location are more likely to survive.

4-14 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

▪ Businesses that rely on discretionary income are more likely to fail.

▪ Businesses that adjust to changes in consumer demand after the disaster are more

likely to survive (Alesch, 2001 and

Tierney, 1995).

Sidebar 4.5 Economic Recovery

as a Regional Concern

When planning for economic

post-disaster recovery, it should be

remembered that economic recovery

does not have boundaries and the

disaster will have impacted the

surrounding area as well. What happens

outside of the city limits is just as

important as what happens within the

city, although this plan is limited in its

recovery role outside of Panama City.

Some other factors outside the city limits

that could affect Panama City’s

economic recovery include

▪ impacts to essential regional

infrastructure, such as electricity,

highways, bridges, railroads, the

airport, and the port;

▪ lack of safe and affordable housing in

other jurisdictions;

▪ possible extended closures of military

or educational facilities; and

▪ halt of tourism to nearby jurisdictions.

Currently, there are no available data to

analyze Panama City’s vulnerability to many

of these most important aspects for

business failure and economic decline after

a disaster. An action for this plan may be to

develop indicators for potential economic

vulnerabilities of the city and collect data to

monitor progress of mitigating and preparing

for these vulnerabilities.

General statistics on economic activity in the

Panama City area can provide clues on

what may be potential vulnerabilities for

Panama City’s economy, other than

structure damage detailed later. See

Sidebar 4.5 for a discussion on regional

impacts to Panama City’s economic

recovery. As shown in Figure 4.6, a

majority of the metropolitan statistical area is

dominated by service industries, many of

which are vulnerable to disaster impacts due

to their reliance on local customers who may

not have returned or may be financially

impacted and on tourists who are likely to

not return to the area, possibly for years. In

Panama City, the Retail Trade Sector has

the greatest number of establishments and

generates the most sales – approximately $1 billion annually. The largest annual payroll

is from the Health Care and Social Assistance Sector that employs the most of any

sector reported, with 6,719 paid employees in 2002. The Accommodation and Food

Services Sector, however, is still one of the largest employment opportunities in Panama

City and accounts for approximately $111 million in annual sales. Businesses within this

sector will most likely have a decrease in business after a disaster for a long period of

time as the local population has less discretionary income and tourists may not return for

several years, depending on the severity of the event (U.S. Census, 2002).

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-15

Part of a successful economic recovery means maintaining existing businesses,

especially those that provide large numbers of jobs for the community. Table 4.9 and

Figure 4.7 show major employers within Panama City by number of employees. Eight

of these employers are located in flood and/or surge zones.

Wind Vulnerability

Figure 4.8 shows business structures

and their vulnerability to hurricane-force

wind damage based on age.

1,664 parcels with structures

categorized as business were analyzed

and are presented in Table 4.10. Of

those, 79% are Most Vulnerable and

15% are More Vulnerable. This means

a majority of businesses could

experience extended business

interruptions as they repair their

buildings or relocate.

Of the business structures built prior to the FBC, 37% are located in a CRA district. The

CRAs may be able to offer increased assistance to business owners through financing

programs or technical assistance (Table 4.11). Only 7% of historic structures in

Panama City are used for the business types analyzed in this study.

Figure 4.6 Jobs by Industry, Bay County Community Profile Center

4-16 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Table 4.9 Major Employers Located in Panama City

Employer

Number of

Employees

Flood/Surge Zone

Bay District Schools

3,370

Bay Medical Center

2,174

Wal-Mart

1,240

A

Gulf Coast Medical Center

850

Category 3

Eastern Shipbuilding

601

City of Panama City

567

Category 3

Bay County

528

Category 3

Publix

520

A

Gulf Coast Community College

385

Category 3

McDonalds*

300

Peoples First Community Bank*

300

Tyndall Federal Credit Union

300

Home Depot

294

A

Oceaneering Multiflex Inc.

286

Category 3

Kmart

260

Gulf Power Company

250

Target

225

Life Management Center of NW Florida

210

Berg Steel Pipe Corporation

200

Healthsouth Rehabilitation

200

Kohl's

200

Early Education and Care, Inc.

185

Corrections Corporation of America

184

Lowe's

180

Applied Research Associates

175

Peadon Air Conditioning & Heating

150

The News Herald

150

Sams Club

135

Sears

130

JCPenney

120

Bay Bank & Trust*

110

Cook Whitehead Ford

109

Knology of Panama City

107

Southern Management

105

Marine Transportation Services

104

Bay County Council on Aging

100

Bell Signs

100

Best Buy

100

Boyd Brothers Inc.

100

Grease Pro*

100

Sunrise Community, Inc.*

100

Total Employed

17,247

* Denotes multiple locations mapped.

Source: Bay County Chamber of Commerce, 2008

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-17

Figure 4.7 Major Employers Relative to Flood and Storm Surge Zones

Major employers in Panama City are spread throughout the main portion of the city, with

several located in Hurricane Category 3 Storm Surge Zones or in Flood Zone A. These

companies are important to retain so that as many residents as possible have a job to return

to after a disaster.

4-18 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.8 Level of Wind Vulnerability of Business Structures

79% of business structures analyzed in Panama City are Most Vulnerable to wind damage.

With so many structures likely to sustain some amount of damage during a major hurricane,

business interruption could be severe as housing and business repairs overwhelm

construction workers and deplete building supplies.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-19

Table 4.10 Business Structure Wind Vulnerability (parcels)

Business

Type

Least Vulnerable More Vulnerable Most Vulnerable

Total

Commercial

28

95

566

689

Office

56

113

524

693

Industrial

22

25

153

200

Financial

2

5

21

28

Medical

1

8

45

54

Total

109

246

1,309

1,664

Table 4.11 Business Structures Most Vulnerable to Wind by Community

Redevelopment Agency (CRA) (parcels)

CRA District

Commercial Office Industrial Financial Medical Total

Downtown CRA/DIB

90

119

4

8

0

221

Downtown Extension CRA

2

6

0

0

0

8

Downtown North CRA

67

127

30

4

1

229

Millville CRA

53

14

13

0

0

80

St. Andrews CRA

39

28

6

1

0

74

Total

251

294

53

13

1

612

Flood and Storm Surge Vulnerability

Figure 4.9 displays business structures

located in storm surge and/or flood zones

assumed to have not been elevated or

floodproofed. Of the business structures

analyzed, 46% are in a storm surge or flood

zone and 60.8% of those are assumed

non-floodproofed. As seen in Table 4.12,

69% of these are located in storm surge

zones of a Category 3 hurricane or larger.

The majority of vulnerable business

structures would, therefore, only be

impacted after a major disaster. Many

businesses in Panama City are

water-dependent, like the one pictured to

the right, or located at marinas. For

numerous businesses, it may not be

financially feasible to mitigate their structures for flood or surge impacts or relocate to a safer

location. Identifying these types of businesses could lead to programs targeted at assisting

high-risk small businesses in developing business continuity plans that address efficient,

economic ways to recover.

4-20 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.9 Business Structures in Flood/Surge Zones Assumed Non-Floodproofed

The map depicts a few major economic clusters with a higher likelihood of sustaining storm

surge or flood damage. By comparing several of the maps in this section, it is apparent that

a flood-prone area is co-located with a large commercial district in the city.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-21

Of the 470 business structures identified as non-floodproofed, 55% are located in a CRA

district (Table 4.13). The fact that so many of the vulnerable businesses are within a

CRA district provides an opportunity for CRAs to assist in disaster recovery. There are

only roughly 15 historic structures used for business located in flood and/or surge zones.

Figure 4.3 shows all historic structure locations relative to flood and storm surge zones.

Table 4.12 Business Structures in a Flood and/or Storm Surge Zone and

Assumed Non-Floodproofed (parcels)

Business Types

A

Cat. 1

Cat. 2

Cat. 3

Cat. 4

Cat. 5

Total

Commercial

25

7

24

43

41

74

214

Office

26

9

25

39

24

51

174

Industrial

9

7

9

13

14

17

69

Financial

0

0

0

1

0

3

4

Medical

3

0

1

2

2

1

9

Total

63

23

59

98

81

146

470

Table 4.13 Non-Floodproofed Business Structures in Flood/Surge Zones by

Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) (parcels)

CRA District

Commercial Office Industrial Financial Medical Total

Downtown CRA/DIB

43

42

3

1

0

89

Downtown Extension CRA

1

5

0

0

0

6

Downtown North CRA

25

24

15

1

1

66

Millville CRA

8

7

7

0

0

22

St. Andrews CRA

40

27

8

1

0

76

Total

117

105

33

3

1

259

Business Structures Vulnerable to Wind and Flood/Storm Surge

Figure 4.10 shows property parcels with business structures built prior to the FBC and

identified as non-floodproofed in a flood and/or surge zone. As presented in Table 4.14,

general commercial and office buildings are the majority of highly vulnerable business

structures. Of all business structure types, 38.7% are within Flood Zone A or Category 1

or 2 surge zones. The CRAs and Central 23rd Street District have large concentrations

of these vulnerable business structures, and the county may want to start an initiative to

get some of these structures mitigated and assist business owners in preparing business

continuity plans that identify alternate places from which their business could run

temporarily or permanently. The CRA or Chamber of Commerce may be able to assist

businesses create partnerships between companies where workspace can be shared

during emergencies and other support services could exchanged. The banking industry

has been organizing such partnerships in Chicago and south Florida and could be a

model for other business types, especially those that depend on each other.

4-22 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.10 Business Structures Vulnerable to Wind and Flood/Storm Surge

While a majority of these highly vulnerable business structures in the city are general

commercial buildings and offices, there are seven parcels with structures that serve

medical/health care needs. New Orleans experienced major problems from damaged health

care facilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-23

Table 4.14 Business Structures Vulnerable to Wind and

Flood/Storm Surge (parcels)

Business Types

A

Cat. 1

Cat. 2

Cat. 3

Cat. 4

Cat. 5

Total

Commercial

25

8

29

42

42

63

209

Office

26

15

39

32

17

43

172

Industrial

9

8

11

10

11

10

59

Financial

0

0

0

1

0

2

3

Medical

3

0

1

2

1

0

7

Total

63

31

80

87

71

118

450

Sidebar 4.6 Definition of Social

Vulnerability

“Social vulnerability is the product of

social inequalities. It is defined as the

susceptibility of social groups to the

impacts of hazards, as well as their

resiliency, or ability to adequately

recover from them. This susceptibility is

not only a function of the demographic

characteristics of the population (age,

gender, wealth, etc.), but also more

complex constructs such as health care

provision, social capital, and access to

lifelines (e.g., emergency response

personnel, goods, services).”

(Cutter and Emrich, 2006)

4.4 SOCIOECONOMIC VULNERABILITIES

Post-disaster recovery may require adequate

housing and jobs, but it also requires a

population with the capability to recover and

not be forced out of the community. This

social component of recovery is hard to

measure, but the maps and statistics in this

section can aid in determining potential

important social vulnerabilities in Panama

City. Social vulnerability is defined in

Sidebar 4.6. Disasters have been shown to

magnify existing social and economic trends

within the community and, by understanding

existing trends, planners may be able to

develop actions for a more positive

post-disaster future.

The socioeconomic vulnerabilities of the

population should be looked at in conjunction

with the housing and economic

vulnerabilities as there are some causal

relationships between them. The income levels of residents and whether they rent or

own can greatly impact housing recovery and alter the demographics of the community if

assistance is not available. Income levels are, of course, dependent on the economy of

the city and region. If quality jobs are not available after a disaster or service sector jobs

have greatly decreased, economic recovery will suffer because of the inbalance between

workforce needs and available jobs (Cutter and Emrich, 2006).

Poverty Levels

Panama City has a relatively high percent of its population living below poverty level:

17.2% compared to 12.5% for the State of Florida (U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2000).

Figure 4.11 shows that the percent below poverty differs greatly throughout the city, with

two concentrations of 41% to 57% below poverty. Within these areas of higher poverty

rates, assistance may be needed for repairs, rebuilding, or relocation. Low-income

residents are less likely to have adequate insurance coverage to cover rebuilding costs,

especially those who own older homes and no longer have lender requirements for

4-24 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

insurance. Another issue that can complicate recovery for residents with low income is if

they rent their home. The owners of rental units may not want to rebuild or do major

repairs. Rental prices typically increase after a disaster because undamaged rental

units are used as temporary housing by those whose homes were damaged and the

demand for rental property increases. This can make relocation for low-income

residents difficult.

Homeownership

The homeownership rate for Panama City is also lower than the state as a whole, 57.8%

compared to 70.1% (U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2000). Figure 4.12 shows the

distribution of owner-occupied parcels Most Vulnerable to wind based on whether the

parcel has a homestead exemption recorded in the property appraiser database. The

rental properties are, for the most part, randomly distributed among all of the housing,

which is good for Panama City because on-site homeowners are usually more

aggressive in repairing and rebuilding their neighborhoods. Of course, renters with

social ties to a community also will be advocates for neighborhood recovery. The elderly

and young renters can move more easily than families with ties to an area and may

decide not to return to the community (Comerio, 1998). A majority of the housing Most

Vulnerable to wind damage (built prior to the FBC) is owner-occupied (59%). A majority

of the housing at risk from surge and/or flood is also owner-occupied – 54% of the

owner-occupied housing is vulnerable to surge and 57% is located in flood zones

outside of surge zones.

Minority Populations

While minority concentrations alone are not an indicator of social vulnerability, these

populations combined with other social vulnerability factors could have fewer capabilities

for recovery due to discrimination. Panama City’s minority population is primarily

African-American, 21.5%. Other minorities include Hispanic (2.9%), Asian (1.5%), and

mixed (1.9%) (U.S. Census QuickFacts, 2000). Minority persons are not evenly

distributed across the city, as seen in Figure 4.13; there are some areas of the city that

mostly comprise minority populations. These areas partially overlap with the high

percent below-poverty areas, which may be locations that could use increased

assistance after a disaster (Figure 4.11). A majority of minority neighborhoods also may

have some factors resulting in strong recovery potential such as strong social ties. Faith

and community-based organizations may already be active in some of these

neighborhoods as well.

Elderly Populations

Elderly populations may be more vulnerable in post-disaster situations for health or

financial reasons. Many retirees are living on fixed incomes and may not have

resources for rebuilding. Others may have health problems, and healthcare facilities

could experience extended periods of disruption after a disaster. Some retirees may

decide to move where a full range of services are available rather than wait for recovery.

Approximately 16% of Panama City’s population is 65 years of age or older (U.S.

Census QuickFacts, 2000). Figure 4.14 shows that older residents are distributed

throughout the city, with only a few small areas of high concentration.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-25

Figure 4.11 Percent of Census Block Group Population Below Poverty Level

4-26 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.12 Owner-Occupied Housing Most Vulnerable to Wind Damage

Panama City boasts a 58% home-ownership rate.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-27

Figure 4.13 Percent Minority of Census Block Population

4-28 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.14 Percent of Census Block Population 65 Years of Age or Older

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-29

4.5 PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES VULNERABILITY

Most of this analysis identified vulnerabilities that, regardless of preparation, will always

be partially up to chance and individual will. When it comes to public land holdings and

facilities, however, the major limitations to making them more sustainable are resources

and political will. This section gives an overview of public vulnerable structures, roads,

and vacant land parcels that the city can either choose from to research more thoroughly

and develop mitigation projects or make decisions about how best to use the land

holdings with post-disaster redevelopment in mind.

City-Owned Structures Wind Vulnerability

Approximately 27% of the city’s 261 property parcels include a structure built prior to the

FBC. Some structures are essential government offices or important historical

landmarks, but some may be park structures that can be easily rebuilt, if needed.

Figure 4.15 and Table 4.15 detail the recorded uses of these structures so that those

important to recovery can be accessed.

Table 4.15 City-Owned Structures Most

Vulnerable to Wind (parcels)

Parcel Uses

Most Vulnerable

to Wind

Administration

2

Community Building

3

Facilities Maintenance

1

Fire Stations

4

Housing

13

Marina

1

Other

5

Parks

13

Police Station

3

Civic Center

3

Utilities

11

Not Occupied

6

Total

65

City-Owned Structures Flood or Storm Surge Vulnerability

Figure 4.16 and Table 4.16 list city-owned structures assumed to not be elevated or

floodproofed and are located in flood and/or surge zones; 46% of those structures fall

within this category of vulnerability.

4-30 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Figure 4.15 City-Owned Structures Most Vulnerable to Wind

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-31

Figure 4.16 City-Owned Structures Vulnerable to Flood and/or Storm Surge

4-32 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Table 4.16 City-Owned Structures Assumed

Non-Elevated, Most Vulnerable to Flood/Surge (parcels)

Parcel Uses

Most Vulnerable to

Flood/Surge

Administration

1

Fire Stations

3

Housing

6

Other

1

Parks

6

Civic Center

3

Utilities

9

Not Occupied

3

Total

32

City-Owned Road Flood or Storm Surge Vulnerability

The city owns and maintains numerous roads in Panama City, many of which within

flood and storm surge zones, as shown in Figure 4.17. Table 4.17 details the roads

segments that fall within surge zones and flood zones outside of surge zones.

Approximately 59.8 miles of city-owned roads have a potential for being damaged by

surge in a Category 5 Hurricane. Even some major roads are at risk, which could

hamper economic recovery efforts if extended closures and detours put stress on

already struggling businesses. Some of the roads in the city may already be built to

withstand flood and surge impacts. The city can assess these roads that could be

exposed to flood and/or storm surge and, for those determined to be vulnerable, can

determine pre-disaster mitigation projects and develop plans for including mitigation in

post-disaster repairs.

Vacant Land Outside of Flood and Storm Surge Zones

Vacant land, both publicly and privately owned, outside of flood and surge zones has a

potential for post-disaster temporary and redevelopment uses. Some of these properties

(Figure 4.18) might meet criteria for temporary debris, housing, or business sites.

Table 4.18 presents the future land uses associated with these vacant properties that

could assist in determining whether they meet temporary use criteria. It is

recommended that temporary housing and commercial sites be compatible with

surrounding land uses and future use plans because these sites may often be needed

for years during recovery and occasionally become permanent. Vacant public and

privately owned parcels that are not vulnerable to flood or surge can also be used to

jumpstart redevelopment efforts. For instance, the city could grant vacant parcels for

development of affordable housing after a disaster or for new commercial or mixed-use

developments to stimulate the economy and give businesses places to relocate to. The

city or CRAs also could target privately owned vacant parcels for redevelopment projects

by assisting the landowners with development plans or by acquiring the property.

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-33

Figure 4.17 City-Owned Roads Within a Surge or Flood Zone

Panama City owns and maintains a number of roads within city limits that are also in flood or

storm surge zones. These roads could require extensive repairs in the event of a major

storm if they are not elevated. An assessment of these roads can reveal priorities for

pre-disaster mitigation projects and possible trouble spots to be prepared for after a storm.

4-34 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Table 4.17 City-Owned Roads in Flood and

Storm Surge Zones

Storm Surge/

Flood Zone

Road

Type

Road

Surface

Distance

(Miles)

Number of

Road Segments

Major

Paved

0.082

1

Minor

Paved

0.731

17

Minor

Unknown

0.188

7

1

Minor

Unpaved

0.005

1

Major

Paved

0.046

1

Minor

Paved

9.013

152

Minor

Unpaved

1.547

40

2

Unnamed Unpaved

0.076

1

Major

Paved

0.192

4

Minor

Paved

9.400

213

Minor

Unknown

2.173

80

Minor

Unpaved

0.151

4

Unnamed Paved

0.017

2

Unnamed Unknown

0.011

1

3

Unnamed Unpaved

0.306

5

Major

Paved

0.113

5

Minor

Paved

11.117

265

Minor

Unknown

1.749

100

Minor

Unpaved

0.111

4

Unnamed Unknown

0.039

2

4

Unnamed Unpaved

0.155

5

Major

Paved

1.086

24

Minor

Paved

20.969

378

Minor

Unpaved

0.344

6

Unnamed Paved

0.137

4

Unnamed Unknown

0.031

3

5

Unnamed Unpaved

0.060

6

Total in Storm Surge Zones

59.849

1,331

AE

Minor

Unknown

0.004

4

VE

Minor

Paved

0.005

2

Major

Paved

1.577

13

Minor

Paved

7.551

87

Minor

Unknown

1.208

15

A

Unnamed Unknown

0.315

4

Total in Flood Zones Outside Surge Zones

10.660

125

Total in Flood/Surge Zones

70.5

1,456

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-35

Figure 4.18 Vacant Land Outside of Flood and Storm Surge Zones

These sites could have potential for temporary debris, housing, or business sites after a

disaster. They also could be prime areas for sustainable redevelopment.

4-36 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

Table 4.18 Privately Owned Undeveloped Property Not

Vulnerable to Flood or Surge

Future Land Use

Number of

Vacant Parcels

Acres

General Commercial

451

172.92

Heavy Industry

25

128.52

Light Industry

36

30.02

Mixed Use

714

167.71

Public/Institutional

1

0.14

Recreation

4

10.99

Residential Low Density

85

48.21

Silviculture

1

0.03

Total

1,317

558.54

Vacant Land within Flood and/or Storm Surge Zones

Figure 4.19 shows city and privately owned vacant properties located within flood and/or

storm surge zones. Ideally, these properties should not be developed or, if not in the

highest risk zones (i.e., VE and Category 1 and 2), will need to be developed with

disaster-resistant design and building techniques. For private undeveloped property in

zones that pose a high risk if developed or contain natural protective features such as

wetlands, these could be priority sites for pre- and post-disaster conservation acquisition

programs. Table 4.19 presents the future land uses of these properties. Those that

have potential for intense development could be targeted first. There are approximately

2,463 acres currently undeveloped and exposed to flood and surge impacts; 51% of

those acres are designated for residential, commercial, or industrial use. Publicly owned

vacant land in these areas could be designated as conservation land, parks, or other

passive uses.

Table 4.19 Privately Owned Undeveloped Property

Vulnerable to Flood or Surge

Future Land Use

Number of

Vacant Parcels

Acres

General Commercial

328

397.48

Heavy Industry

17

15.59

Light Industry

23

84.42

Mixed Use

391

589.13

Public/Institutional

9

5.34

Residential Low Density

181

159.36

Silviculture

1

1211.35

Total

950

2,462.67

PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 4-37

Figure 4.19 Vacant Land in Flood and/or Storm Surge Zones

A majority of the undeveloped private land in flood or storm surge zones is designated for

future development in the Panama City Comprehensive Plan. Some of these properties

could be prime targets for conservation acquisition before or after a disaster.

4-38 | post-disaster vulnerabilities identification

4.6 REFERENCES

Alesch, D.J., Holly, J.N., Mittler, E., & Nagy R. (2001). Organizations at risk: what

happens when small businesses and not-for-profits encounter natural disasters. First

Year Technical Report of the Small Organizations Natural Hazards Project, Center

for Organizational Studies, University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Fairfax, VA: Public

Entity Risk Institute.

Comerio, M.C. (1998). Disaster hits home: new policy for urban housing recovery.

Berkeley: University of California Press.

Cutter, S. & Emrich, C.T. (2006). Moral hazard social catastrophe: The changing face

of vulnerability along the hurricane coasts. Sage Publications. The ANNALS of the

American Academy of Political and Social Science.

Florida Department of Community Affairs, Building Codes and Standards. (Date

unknown). http://www.dca.state.fl.us/fbc/index_page/maps/county_maps/bay2.pdf.

Florida Department of State Division of Historical Resources, Florida Division of

Emergency Management, & 1,000 Friends of Florida. (2006). Disaster planning for

Florida's historic resources. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of the State.

Tierney, K.J. (1995). Impacts of recent disasters on businesses: The 1993 midwest

floods and the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Newark, Delaware: Disaster Research

Center, University of Delaware, Preliminary Paper 230.

University of Florida. (2005). Research: Florida getting better at protecting homes from

hurricanes. Press Release.

U.S. Census. (2002). Economic census summary statistics by 2002 NAICS, Panama

City City, FL. Retrieved May 5, 2008.

http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/02EC_FL.HTM

U.S. Census Quickfacts. (2000). Panama City Quickfacts. Retrieved May 22, 2008.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/1254700.html.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 5-1

5. institutional capacity assessment

The Institutional Capacity Assessment examines existing local capacity for carrying out

long-term recovery and redevelopment. First, all pertinent planning documents were examined,

and all policies relevant to the PDRP were culled (see Section 3 and Appendix B). Then, a

series of phone interviews were conducted and meetings were held to gather more information

about the current capacity of each agency. The existing capacity was then summarized, and

roles and responsibilities for each department were determined. Below is a summary of the

existing capacity as well as recommendations for improving the current capacity of the city.

5.1 EXISTING CAPACITY

The following mechanisms and policies are currently in place within the city with regards

to post-disaster redevelopment:

▪ Mutual Aid Agreement with the City of Naples and the City of Port Orange

This agreement is implemented following a disaster to coordinate disaster response

and recovery needs and assist each of the communities in the agreement with

response and recovery services as needed. See Appendix D.

▪ Inter-governmental Agreement with Bay County Emergency Management for

Disaster Response

Bay County manages the response and short-term recovery efforts for the entire

county at the Bay County Emergency Operations Center. This is currently set up as a

liaison operation with municipal liaisons from both the city fire and police

departments. This inter-governmental agreement does not cover long-term recovery

and mitigation.

▪ Debris Removal Contract and Pre-Arranged Site

Currently, the city has three pre-arranged debris removal contracts and one site for

collection. See Appendix E.

▪ Business Continuity Planning Initiative

This effort was facilitated through Bay County Emergency Management and the Bay

County Chamber of Commerce. It included workshops and a software tool that can

guide a business through the Continuity of Operations Planning process.

▪ Close Relationship with the West Florida Regional Planning Council (WFRPC)

The WFRPC can function as a backup for the planning department if the city is

overwhelmed with the recovery effort. They also can provide technical assistance

and support to other departments such as community development.

▪ Membership on the Bay County LMS Committee

Currently one staff member from Panama City sits on the Bay County LMS

Committee.

▪ City Flood Prevention Ordinance

The city adopted a flood prevention ordinance that goes above and beyond the

requirements of the FBC in flood-prone areas.

5-2 | panama city plans integration assessment

▪ Relationships with the Business Community

The Bay County Chamber of Commerce, along with the Economic Development

Alliance, currently has established relationships and communication lines with the

local business community.

▪ Policies Within the City Comprehensive Plan Regarding Long-Term

Redevelopment

Currently, there are a limited number of polices that address long-term post-disaster

redevelopment.

▪ Active Community Redevelopment Areas

The city currently has four active CRAs that promote redevelopment and revitalization

within their boundaries and have active relationships with the businesses in their

communities.

▪ Community Development Department Plays Advocacy Role for Affordable

Housing

The City Community Development Department is a strong community leader in

providing affordable housing and funding for housing opportunities.

5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING CAPACITY

The following are recommendations that could improve the capacity of the city with

regards to post-disaster redevelopment:

▪ Continue the Planning Process

Because post-disaster redevelopment planning is new to Panama City, there are still

many tasks that could not be taken on during the initial planning process; however,

these tasks are still important. It is recommended that the city continue the planning

process by implementing the planning-based pre-disaster PDRP actions.

▪ Further Define Roles and Responsibilities of Each Agency Involved

It is recommended that each agency develop an internal plan, based on the roles and

responsibilities defined in this plan, that details what tasks will need to be taken as

well as who will take on each task. Ideally, these tasks would be officially added to

the job duties of staff for pre-disaster, ongoing plan implementation.

▪ Coordinate with Surrounding Jurisdictions

Coordination among jurisdictions within the area regarding post-disaster

redevelopment planning efforts is suggested. Encourage other jurisdictions to

undertake this process, and possibly strengthen the plans by integrating all of them

into a countywide PDRP.

▪ Become More Involved in the Countywide LMS

Currently, one representative sits on the LMS Steering Committee for Bay County. It

is recommended that more than one representative be involved with the committee.

Also, additional projects (both structural and non-structural) should be developed and

included on the prioritized project list to further the city’s resiliency through mitigation.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 5-3

▪ Identify a Public Information/Communications Specialist

Currently, the role of public information officer has been delegated to the City

Manager’s Office. It is recommended that an additional person be hired or appointed

to serve in this position because communications has been identified as a very

important issue during the planning process.

▪ Draft a Temporary Housing Strategy

The city does not currently have a clear strategy in place with regard to temporary

housing following a disaster. It is recommended that the city draft a detailed strategy

that is integrated with that of Bay County.

▪ Draft a Debris Removal Plan

The city currently has pre-arranged debris removal contracts as well as possible sites

for the staging of debris; however, a detailed plan does not currently exist to address

this issue. It is recommended that the city draft a detailed plan that includes back-up

sites, specific sites for different types of debris, etc.

▪ Participate in the Bay County CEMP Update

The Bay County Department of Emergency Management is updating their CEMP at

this time. The county currently handles short-term recovery and response for the city.

It is recommended that the city participate in the update of this plan to determine how

they can become more involved in this process.

▪ Develop a Continuity of Operations Plan for the City

The city should plan how the local government would function in the event that

municipal buildings are damaged by a storm. This plan also could include methods

for backing up all important data.

5-4 | panama city plans integration assessment

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 6-1

6. implementation

This section describes the process developed to implement the Panama City PDRP. It includes

a structure overview of the Panama City PDRP Executive Committee and describes

implementation, both pre- and post-disaster. The section includes the following topics:

▪ Organizational Structure and Function

▪ Decision-Making Authority

▪ Roles and Responsibilities

▪ Action Identification, Prioritization, and Implementation

▪ Monitoring, Reporting, and Updating

▪ Training Exercises

6.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

The implementation of this plan is divided into two functions: Planning and

Implementation. The Planning Function is carried out pre-disaster and includes

responsibilities such as plan maintenance, update and revision, and the identification

and implementation of actions both pre- and post-disaster that can be taken to prepare

for recovery efforts and strengthen the community. The Implementation Function is the

long-term redevelopment phase carried out following a disaster that includes all of the

Working Group topics, the two recovery management functions, and all post-disaster

actions. The PDRP Executive Committee has been charged with both the development

and implementation of the PDRP.

Planning Function

The Committee membership, shown in Table 6.1, is appointed by the Mayor and

comprises city department heads, county emergency management and economic

development representatives, local non-profit organization leaders and military base

representatives. The Planning Function of this committee is chaired by the Planning and

Land Use Services Manager, and responsibilities of the Planning Function include the

initial planning process, the maintenance and update of the plan, the identification of

future pre- and post-disaster actions to be taken by the committee (see discussion of

these actions in Section 9), and the coordination of the completion of pre-disaster

actions. In its Planning Function, the committee will continue to meet on an annual basis

at the start of spring, prior to hurricane season, to discuss the status of post-disaster

redevelopment planning efforts. The committee also will meet after the completion of

plan implementation to discuss any lessons learned or necessary plan revisions.

6-2 | panama city plans integration assessment

Table 6.1 Panama City Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

Executive Committee Membership

Agency/Organization

Job Title

City Department Representatives

Planning and Land Use Services

Planning Manager*

City Manager’s Office

Assistant City Manager**

Community Development

Director

Public Works

Director

Public Works

City Engineer

PC Fire and Rescue

Fire Chief

Port of Panama City

Executive Director

Port of Panama City

Deputy Director

Police Department

Capitan

Finance

Director

CRA Board

Executive Director

St. Andrews CRA/Waterfronts Partnership

Director

Utilities

Director

Bay County Representatives

Emergency Management

Director

School Board

Facility Supervisor

School Board

Safety and Security Manager

Board of County Commissioners

Communications Specialist

Bay County

Assistant County Manager

Local and Regional Organization/Stakeholders

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Executive Director

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

President

Gulf Coast Community College

Vice President

United Way of Northwest Florida

Communications Director

Catholic Charities

Regional Director

American Red Cross

Executive Director

Gulf Power

Marketing Manager

Tyndall Air Force Base

Engineering

Panama City-Bay County International Airport

Executive Director

Naval Surface Warfare Center of Panama City

Public Affairs

Panama City

Resident

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Director of Community Planning

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Evacuation Clearance Planner

*Acting Planning Chair

**Acting Implementation Chair

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 6-3

Implementation Function

For ease of implementation, the Panama City PDRP has been broken down into three

Working Groups and two recovery management functions that correspond to the

previously identified topics, which will be overseen by the Assistant City Manager who

serves as the Implementation Function Chair. The Working Groups include land use

and community development, economic redevelopment, and infrastructure repair.

The two recovery management functions are Finance and Communications. While the

Executive Committee is responsible for the implementation of this plan, the overall effort

will be overseen by the Mayor and City Commission. See Figure 6.1 for details on

organization of this committee.

The responsibilities of each of the Working Groups and recovery management functions

are included below in Tables 6.2 and 6.3. For more information of the recovery

management functions, see Section 7 (Finance) and Section 8 (Communication).

Figure 6.1. Panama City PDRP Organizational Structure.

6.2 DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY

The City Commission, along with the Mayor’s Office, has ultimate decision-making

authority when it comes to long-term legislative redevelopment decisions for the city.

The City Manager’s Office and the participating municipal department heads will

continue to make decisions based on the delegations of authority already in place. Any

Overall Leadership

- Mayor

- City Commission

PDRP Executive Committee

Working Groups

Recovery Management

Functions

Economic

Redevelopment

Land Use and

Community

Redevelopment

Infrastructure

Communications

Finance

6-4 | panama city plans integration assessment

decision falling outside of the authority of city staff will be brought before the legislative

body for direction, as required. Recommendations to the City Commission will be made

by the appropriate staff person or other agency.

Table 6.2 Working Group Responsibilities and Current Chairs, 2008

Working Group

Responsibilities

Current Chair

Support Agencies

Land Use and

Community

Development

▪ Property Rights

▪ Incorporating Mitigation into

Redevelopment

▪ Building Permitting/Review

▪ Affordable Housing Advocacy

▪ Temporary Housing Availability

Allara

Mills-Gutcher,

Planning and

Land Use

Services, and

Mike Johnson,

Community

Development

▪ Community Development

Agency Board

▪ Bay County Builder’s Services

▪ Bay County Emergency

Management

▪ Local Military Installations

▪ West Florida Regional Planning

Council

Economic

Redevelopment

▪ Small Business Recovery

▪ Prevention of Permanent

Relocation of Local Businesses

▪ Communication with Local

Businesses

▪ Promoting New Economic

Opportunities During the

Redevelopment Process

Ted Clem,

Bay County

Economic

Redevelopment

Alliance

▪ Bay County Chamber of

Commerce

▪ Community Redevelopment

Agency Board

▪ Panama City Community

Development Department

▪ Panama City Port Authority

▪ Gulf Coast Community College

Long-Term

Infrastructure

and Public

Facility Repair

▪ Critical Infrastructure and

Facility Repair

▪ Incorporating Mitigation into

Infrastructure Repair

▪ Debris Management

Neil Fravel,

Public Works

▪ Panama City Utilities Director

▪ Gulf Power

▪ Bay County School Board

▪ Panama City Port Authority

Table 6.3 Recovery Management Function Responsibilities and Current Liaisons, 2008

Recovery Function

Responsibilities

Current Chair Coordinating Agencies

Communications

▪ Information Collection and

Dissemination (central repository for

recovery information regarding the

city)

▪ Public Information Officer for the City

▪ Convey Positive Message to

Residents about Recovery

▪ Communicate with State and Federal

Agencies

▪ Coordinate Recovery Relief and

Donations from Charitable

Organizations

Jeff Brown,

City Manager’s

Office

▪ Bay County Chamber

of Commerce

▪ Bay County Economic

Development Alliance

Local Post-Disaster

Financing and

Capacity

▪ Ensure That All Financial

Transactions and Contracts Between

the City and FEMA are Being

Documented

▪ Manage Any City Loans That May Be

Obtained to Fund Disaster Recovery

▪ Manage the City’s Disaster Recovery

Financial Reserves

Terri Lillard,

Finance

Department

▪ City Manager’s Office

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 6-5

6.3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This section details the roles and responsibilities of the agencies and organizations in

the implementation of the Panama City PDRP both pre- and post-disaster. Agencies

and organizations that share issues should collaborate when planning for post-disaster

redevelopment as well as during the implementation phase of this effort.

▪ Panama City Mayor/City Commission – Lead Decision-Making Authority

▪ Panama City City Manager’s Office – PDRP Implementation Function Chair

Issues covered:

– Communication

– Financial Coordination

– Emergency Management (EM)/FEMA Liaison

– Volunteer Coordination

Responsibilities:

– Implement PDRP

– Public Information Officer (PIO)/media contact for the city with regards to recovery

– Communicate with other cities in county as well as out-of-county interlocal

agreement cities

– Liaison between city and State/FEMA with regard to financial assistance and

long-term redevelopment reimbursement

– EOC liaison working with all Emergency Support Functions regarding city’s needs

▪ Bay County Economic Development Alliance – Economic Redevelopment

Working Group Chair

Issues Covered:

– Economic Redevelopment Coordination

– Business Recovery

– Communication

– Mitigation

Responsibilities:

– Spearhead Economic Redevelopment effort

– Represent all local businesses with regard to long-term recovery

– Encourage new industry within the community

– Convey a positive image of recovery to discourage businesses from relocating

– Serve as a clearing house for the Small Emergency Bridge Loan Program to

assist businesses in the interim before SBA is available

– Promote Business Continuity Planning

– Develop and manage a long-term disaster economic recovery team comprising all

economic development-related agencies within the county

– Support the city with communications in a limited capacity

6-6 | panama city plans integration assessment

▪ Panama City Community Development – Community Redevelopment Working

Group Co-Chair

Issues Covered:

– Housing

– Financial Aid

– Economic Redevelopment

– Mitigation

Responsibilities:

– Provide input on the siting of temporary housing

– Identify long-term affordable housing needs and preferred locations in the

community

– Coordinate with nongovernmental organizations that have transitional housing

such as Catholic Charities or Red Cross

– Advocate for affordable housing during the redevelopment process

– Use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and State Housing Initiative

Program (SHIP) funding to secure affordable housing monies during

redevelopment process

– Create jobs and provide training (such as Certified Nursing Assistant courses)

using CDBG funds

– Work with CRAs to encourage businesses to locate to the area

▪ Panama City Planning and Land Use Services – Community Redevelopment

Working Group Co-Chair and PDRP Planning Chair

Issues Covered:

– Land Use/Zoning Enforcement

– Permitting Coordination

– Mitigation

– Plan Maintenance and Updating Process

Responsibilities:

– Assist City Manager’s Office with PDRP implementation

– Review Development Order Applications

– Enforce the comprehensive plan and land development code with regards to

damaged structures beyond 50% (below code; non-conforming use)

– Work with Bay County Builder’s Services and Permitting Department

– Participate in the Bay County LMS Steering Committee

– Lead the PDRP maintenance and update process

▪ Panama City Public Works – Infrastructure Repair Working Group Chair

Issues Covered:

– Infrastructure repair

– Debris removal and management

– Mitigation

– Coordination

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 6-7

Responsibilities:

– Restore and repair all damaged infrastructure

– Debris clearance and management

– Rebuild or oversee the construction of damaged city-owned structures

– Apply mitigation in the repair and rebuilding of all damaged structures and

infrastructure

– Repair roads

▪ Community Redevelopment Agencies

Issues Covered:

– Restore and repair all damaged infrastructure

– Debris clearance

– Rebuild damaged structure

– Apply mitigation in the repair and rebuilding of all damaged structures and

infrastructure

– Repair roads

Responsibilities:

– Communicate with businesses and anticipate their required needs to get back on

their feet

– Put together incentive packages for businesses to relocate within their CRA

during the redevelopment process

– Buy, sell, develop, or redevelop properties

– Finance recovery operations by borrowing from local or State governments or

selling bonds

– Impose land use and redevelopment controls pursuant to the comprehensive plan

– Implement land acquisition programs

– Acquire grant funds to redevelop CRAs

– Participate in the LMS Steering Committee to bring mitigation funds into the

community

▪ Panama City Utilities

Issues Covered:

– Infrastructure repair

– Mitigation

Responsibilities:

– Restore and repair all damaged water and sewer infrastructure

– Apply mitigation techniques during the recovery process

▪ Panama City Budget/Finance

Issues Covered:

– Financial Coordination

– Local Capacity (to handle responsibility)

Responsibilities:

– Work in conjunction with the FEMA Liaison/City Manger’s Office on all FEMA

finance-related matters

6-8 | panama city plans integration assessment

– Manage FEMA funding transactions

– Manage and apply for any loans, grants, or other financial assistance needed by

the city

– Manage city disaster reserves under blue skies as well as post-disaster

– Log in and monitor all redevelopment/mitigation projects worksheets during

long-term recovery

– Perform any necessary FEMA audits following a disaster

▪ Panama City Police Department

Responsibilities:

– Secure damaged areas and control re-entry during short-term recovery

– Monitor the severely impacted areas during long-term recovery to control burglary

crime

▪ Panama City Port Authority

Issues Covered:

– Mitigation

– Economic Redevelopment

Responsibilities:

– Repair facilities to ensure Port activity resumes normal operations

– Incorporate mitigation into the repair of facilities according to the Panama City

Port Authority Mitigation Plan

▪ Bay County Emergency Management

Issues Covered:

– Housing

– Debris Clearance

– Mitigation

Responsibilities:

– Manage short-term recovery

– Coordinate with the Community Development Department to determine temporary

housing needs and possible locations within the county

– Manage debris clearance efforts in the unincorporated county

– Spearhead the County LMS Committee and mitigation program

▪ Bay County Building Services and Permitting

Issues Covered:

– Damage Assessment

– Habitability Assessment

– Communication

– Mitigation

Responsibilities:

– Perform post-disaster damage assessment

– Implement requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 6-9

– Assist the State Historic Preservation Officer with the evaluation of damaged

historic buildings to determine where repairs can be made or demolition is

necessary

– Perform Habitability Assessment

– Answer questions from residents regarding the safety of their homes

– Inspection repair and reconstruction during long-term recovery

– Work with utilities to determine when to restore service to damaged buildings

– Issue emergency repair permits

– Communicate with emergency management, City Manager’s Office and planning

and zoning department regarding access to property and timeframes for

permitting activities

– Communicate with media/public information officer to inform residents of property

access and timeframes for permitting activities

– Enforce any temporary moratoriums on development in the immediate aftermath

of a disaster

– Encourage/enforce mitigation during redevelopment process

– Inform residents of ways to apply mitigation during the recovery process, both

quick and easy ways as well as more detailed measures

▪ Bay County School Board

Issues Covered:

– Repair All Damaged Facilities

– Reopen Schools

– FEMA Coordination

– Transportation

Responsibilities:

– Repair damages to school facilities

– Determine how long the schools will be used as temporary shelters

– Re-open schools

– File paperwork for FEMA reimbursement

– Participate in the LMS Steering Committee

– Possibly offer schools up as staging areas for recovery efforts

– School buses can be used as a means of transportation

– Help local businesses by sharing facilities and equipment, as possible

– Determine if students enrolled in damaged schools need to be temporarily

relocated to other schools

▪ Gulf Coast Community College

Issues Covered:

– Repair Facilities

– Mitigation

– Public Education

– Re-open Campus

Responsibilities:

– Repair and restore campus facilities

– Participate in the LMS Steering Committee

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– Coordinate with Bay County Emergency Management regarding the EOC located

on campus

– Re-open campus and resume classes

– Extend facilities to local businesses or local governments to assist in recovery

effort

– Offer to host seminars and educational opportunities to residents and business

owners

– Support the efforts of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and EDA regarding

economic redevelopment

▪ Tyndall Air Force Base

Issues Covered:

– Repair Facilities

– Mitigation

– Re-open Base

Responsibilities:

– Repair and restore military facilities and equipment

– Apply mitigation techniques during repair and reconstruction

– Restore normal base operations in a quick manner to discourage base closure

▪ Gulf Power

Issues Covered:

– Repair Infrastructure

– Mitigation

Responsibilities:

– Restore electrical services to all service areas

– Repair infrastructure

– Apply mitigation techniques during repair and reconstruction

▪ Naval Surface Warfare Center of Panama City

Issues Covered:

– Repair Facilities

– Mitigation

– Re-open Installation

Responsibilities:

– Repair and restore military facilities and equipment

– Restore normal installation operations quickly to discourage base closure

▪ West Florida Regional Planning Council

Issues Covered:

– Land Use

– Financial Assistance

– Damage Assessment

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 6-11

Responsibilities:

– Assist the Planning Department with all services and needs

– Help facilitate long-term recovery meetings

– Assist with grant and loan programs, including mitigation

– Train local staff on how to perform local damage assessments

▪ American Red Cross

Issues Covered:

– Housing

– Finance

Responsibilities:

– Function as backup to the Bay County Emergency Management Division

– Open and close shelters and provide assistance during response and short-term

recovery process

– Coordinate transitional housing

– Provide financial assistance (if available) to help meet unmet needs

▪ Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Issues Covered:

– Economic Redevelopment/Business Recovery

– Communication

Responsibilities:

– Work with local governments to ensure policies are being reinforced that would

discourage businesses from relocating

– Promote Business Continuity planning

– Communication with membership on long-term recovery efforts

– Contact businesses after a storm to coordinate needs

– Convey a positive image of recovery to discourage businesses from relocating

– Start a “long-term recovery corner” in Bay Biz Magazine and on website in the

aftermath of an event

▪ Catholic Charities

Issues Covered:

– Financial Assistance

Responsibilities

– Provide long-term recovery financial assistance for unmet needs

– Provide volunteer services

6.4 ACTION IDENTIFICATION, PRIORITIZATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION

Actions are projects or initiatives geared toward implementing the goals and solving the

issues listed in Section 2. Actions are organized by topic and issue, then by the

initiation period (actions initiated pre-disaster and actions initiated post-disaster).

Pre-disaster actions typically involve developing policies and procedures that will affect

recovery efforts and undertaking hazard mitigation actions to reduce risk to people and

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property, particularly buildings and infrastructure. Post-disaster actions detail the steps

to be taken after a disaster to put this plan into action. A list of the Panama City PDRP

actions can be found in Section 9. This action list is meant to serve as a starting point

and will be updated and maintained by the Executive Committee on an annual basis or

as determined to be necessary. Any actions that are identified outside of the annual

meeting should be submitted to the Planning Chair to be considered for inclusion in the

plan.

The PDRP Executive Committee prioritized the topics and issues.

6.5 MONITORING, REPORTING, AND UPDATING

The PDRP will be monitored by the Planning Chair pre- and post-disaster. A report will

be prepared annually by the Planning Chair for the Executive Committee’s spring

meeting to assess the progress of the plan implementation as well as any lessons

learned from recent disasters. A special report should be prepared at the completion of

recovery efforts from any disaster that impacts Panama City (Implementation Function

Chair to determine when recovery is complete for the purposes of the PDRP) to examine

the successes and failures of the plan as well as recommend changes or revisions, if

needed. The plan should then be revised or changed as needed according to the report.

On a 5-year cycle, the plan will be reviewed and a comprehensive revision will be

undertaken if deemed necessary. This revision will be led by the Planning Chair with

significant input from the Implementation Chair as well as Working Group Chairs and

recovery management leads. The Executive Committee will meet regularly during this

process in addition to the many separate Working Group meetings that will take place as

necessary to discuss any changes in the roles and responsibilities with regard to their

respective topic. Once the plan has been revised, it will be submitted to the Panama

City City Commission for review and approval. As a part of this review process, a

checklist should be established to monitor the successes, opportunities, and failures of

the PDRP.

6.6 TRAINING SESSIONS

The PDRP involves many different departments and agencies that may meet only once

a year to discuss recovery and redevelopment issues. Policy changes and leadership

redirection in the agencies and departments make the need for annual training exercises

very important in order to ensure that personnel will know their roles and responsibilities

should a disaster strike. The training session will take place in conjunction with the

annual spring meeting. During the training session, the Planning Chair will provide an

overview of the plan, describe each new member’s roles and responsibilities in detail,

and answer any questions members may have concerning the process. A scenario

exercise also may be developed to further explain the role of the PDRP to the new

members and provide experienced members with a refresher on the plan.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 7-1

7. post-disaster redevelopment financial resources

The City of Panama City recognizes that disaster recovery is large task and will involve

enormous coordination, documentation, creativity, pre-planning, and a variety of funding

sources. Federal and state financial assistance will be available, but it is possible that these

funds may not be enough for all necessary recovery efforts or the city’s wishes for recovery may

not fit within the eligibility requirements of the assistance programs. The federal and state

assistance programs often require local matching funds, which take time to understand and

knowledge to utilize. The city can be ready for the issues by training staff on known assistance

programs before a disaster occurs. The state, as part of the PDPR Initiative, is currently

drafting a handbook on potential federal and state funding sources that will be made available to

all Florida local governments as a resource for training and planning for recovery financing.

Careful thought is required to determine how a community will recover while taking advantage of

programs that allow the community to incorporate mitigation into their future public investments.

This section provides information on financing opportunities for post-disaster redevelopment

and discusses local capacity to finance recovery.

7.1 CITY FINANCIAL RESERVES AND REVENUE SOURCES

Currently, the city sets aside a certain amount of money in their annual budget for

emergency purposes. However, as learned from Councilman Brian Carierre of Gulfport,

Mississippi, which was greatly impacted by Hurricane Katrina, this funding might not be

enough to cover the full price of disaster recovery. The FEMA reimbursement process

for public assistance is often a very lengthy process. If the community waits on these

funds in order to redevelop, it could slow the process down.

Also, the city must prepare for a decrease in revenue sources such as property and

business taxes and service fees coming into the city from utilities, solid waste, and the

marina. These general revenue funds could be impacted during the post-disaster

redevelopment process as businesses close and property values take a downward turn.

According to the city budget for Fiscal Year 2008, the general fund accounts for

approximately 43% of the total expenditures of the city. Without these funds coming in

to support this portion of the budget, local government expenditures will be impacted.

7.2 DISASTER RECOVERY FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Grant/Loan Opportunities

Many grant opportunities are available to local governments to fund disaster mitigation

prior to a storm and mitigation and recovery following a disaster. As a part of the Florida

PDRP Initiative, the Florida Department of Community Affairs and Florida Division of

Emergency Management are developing a handbook on state and federal funding

sources that may be available to local governments after a disaster. The city plans to

use this guide to further enhance its post-disaster financing planning efforts.

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Match

As previously mentioned, many of the funding opportunities available to local

governments require local matching funds, typically up to 25% of the project cost. This

can be met in a variety of ways, including cash, in-kind services or materials, or a global

match source. Providing a cash match for a project requires the least amount of effort

on the part of the agency or individual; however, this assumes that the money is

available. Providing in-kind services or materials is often preferable, as this option does

not require additional funds to be allocated for the project. In-kind services or materials

can include participation in the project development (i.e., construction, engineering,

architectural services, etc. for bricks and mortar projects and donation of staff time for

plan development of planning projects), project management, or the provision of

materials needed to complete the project (including both construction materials as well

as materials needed to complete plans such as maps, paper, binding, etc.). Global

match is often the most difficult source to use; however, it allows the grantee to use

projects funded at the local level that began after the disaster declaration as a match for

a future project of the same kind. The city should consider cash match when setting

money aside as a part of their local financial reserve. They also should document any

services provided by volunteers that are similar to the projects for which they are

submitting applications because these efforts can be used as global match.

Inter-governmental and Mutual Aid Agreements

In the past, the city entered into a mutual aid agreement with the City of Port Orange and

the City of Naples to provide post-disaster recovery assistance. This agreement is not

currently active; however, the city plans to re-adopt the agreement. It is suggested that

the following subjects be discussed for inclusion in this agreement:

▪ Debris Management;

▪ Public Infrastructure, Facilities, and Utilities Restoration and Repair;

▪ Emergency Response and Recovery Operations;

▪ Grant Writing;

▪ Grant and Project Reimbursement Management; and

▪ Development Review and Permitting.

It also is suggested that the city explore the possibility of entering into mutual aid

agreements with the West Florida Regional Planning Council. Panama City should

explore mutual aid agreements with this organization, especially for grant writing and

development review and permitting.

Pre-Disaster Service Contracts

Following a disaster, it is often hard to find contractors to provide disaster recovery

services because of the high demand for these companies. It is best to negotiate

contracts with organizations prior to the disaster. The City of Panama City has

recognized this need with regard to debris removal and management. Currently, the city

has contracts with the following companies (Appendix E):

▪ Omni Pinnacle, LLC;

▪ BAMACO, Inc.; and

▪ Crowder Gulf, Inc.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 7-3

The city may wish to consider pre-arranged contracts for other services in the future as

well because other departments often need additional staff to complete or manage the

extra responsibilities.

Charitable Contributions and Volunteers

Charitable organizations can be a valuable resource to communities during the disaster

recovery process. The Panama City PDRP Executive Committee had representation

from three of these organizations, including the American Red Cross, Catholic charities,

and United Way of Northwest Florida. The key to the success of charitable contributions

and volunteer labor is management and coordination to ensure there are no duplicated

efforts or wasted resources. Often, charitable organizations are the first to come to the

aid of the community following a disaster, and a main contact person is needed to

ensure that resources are being utilized effectively.

City of Panama City Contact:

Jeff Brown, Assistant City Manager

City Manager’s Office

(850) 872-3010

jeff.brown@cityofpanamacity.com

The City Manager’s Office also will coordinate with the County Emergency Management

Department and surrounding jurisdictions on this matter. The city should pre-identify the

basic needs for both short- and long-term recovery needs of the residents and business

owners and have these available for organizations that wish to be involved with

long-term recovery. Suggested long-term needs may include the following:

▪ Financial contributions for residents and business owners

▪ Donated temporary rental housing for residents

▪ Donated temporary rental space for businesses and possibly the local government

offices

▪ Volunteer carpentry services for residents, business owners, and the city

▪ Volunteer electrical services for residents, business owners, and the city

▪ Volunteer grant writing services for residents, business owners, and the city

▪ Community clean-up teams for local neighborhoods and the city

Once these services and resources have been donated or offered, the City Manager’s

Office can then help match them to departments, individuals, or businesses that have

unmet needs and would benefit from the assistance. If offers are received for resident

assistance, the city will forward these offers to the local non-profit organizations

coordinating disaster recovery for citizens. Offers that are received for business

assistance will then be forwarded to the Bay County Economic Development Alliance

and Chamber of Commerce for distribution.

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN |8-1

8. communication and public outreach

Establishing strong lines of communication with the residents and business owners in a

community both pre- and post-disaster is essential to the recovery and redevelopment process.

A city must involve the pubic in the decision-making process from the time of impact to ensure

that public opinions are part of the process and that they approve of the direction the city plans

to take in the future. It also is vitally important to convey a positive message to the community

that the city is prepared for an efficient and timely recovery. This message must be continued

following a disaster to assure residents and business owners are aware of their value to the

community and to prevent a migration from the community.

Throughout the Panama City PDRP planning process, the need for proper lines of

communication was identified as a common issue concerning the Executive Committee. A

Public Information Officer is not currently part of the structure of the city to aid in the

coordination of long-term recovery communications internally and with other agencies.

Therefore, the role of communicating with residents, local business owners, and Federal and

State agencies falls under the responsibility of individual city employees and other agencies

working cooperatively with the city.

8.1 INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION

Information collection and dissemination is the responsibility of the City Manager’s Office

as it relates to local government and citizens. The Bay County EDA will manage

business recovery and economic redevelopment. While these agencies serve as the

central repository for information dissemination, it should be noted that they also will be

working in cooperation with other departments and agencies as well. For example,

during the business recovery phase, the Panama City CRA will coordinate with the Bay

County EDA concerning the businesses located within the CRA boundaries.

Government and Public Liaison

The Panama City Point of Contact is the Assistant City Manager

City of Panama City

City Manager’s Office

(850) 872-3010

The City Manager’s Office is responsible for both internal and external communication

and acts as the official Liaison for Panama City to all outside parties. The

responsibilities of the City Manager’s Office include the following:

▪ Act as the central repository for information concerning long-term recovery for all

aspects of the city.

▪ Coordinate with the Bay County EOC during the short-term recovery phases to

ensure the decisions are consistent with the PDRP and help facilitate long-term

recovery for the city.

▪ Project a positive image of recovery to all residents to dissuade them from relocating.

▪ Determine the infrastructure and structure repair needs of all city departments.

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▪ Work with all city departments and residents to incorporate mitigation into any repair

efforts, when possible.

▪ Coordinate with any non-profit agencies, including Catholic charities, the Red Cross,

United Way, and Habitat for Humanity, that may provide assistance to the community.

▪ Communicate with residents through press releases and press conferences on the

status of the long-term recovery efforts with the city. Press releases should be sent to

the following three media outlets:

o WJHD TV news@wjhd.com

o WMBB TV wmbbnews@wmbb.com

o Panama City News Herald dcarson@pcnh.com

▪ Communicate with the State DEM and FEMA regarding long-term recovery-related

issues such as the city’s requirements, any barriers impeding timely recovery, and

financial assistance.

Business Liaison

Executive Director

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

P.O. Box 1850

Panama City, Florida 32402-1850

(850) 215-3752

The Economic Development Alliance will communicate with all business owners to

ensure a diligent recovery. These responsibilities include the following:

▪ Establish contact with local businesses (especially those that are major economic

drivers within the city) immediately following the storm to create proper lines of

communication and show interest in their recovery.

▪ Work to create a positive image of recovery within the business community to

dissuade any of them from relocating outside of the area, possibly by launching a

business awareness campaign to assure business owners of their importance in the

community.

▪ Discover what local businesses require in order to reopen and communicate these

needs to the County EOC and the City Manager’s Office.

▪ Encourage local businesses to incorporate mitigation techniques into their repair and

reconstruction efforts.

▪ Provide information to businesses on any available financial assistance, including the

Small Business Administration and State Bridge Loan Programs (see the Finance

Plan for more information).

▪ Keep in contact with the business community through various mechanisms, including

“Disaster Recovery Corner” in the Bay Biz Newsletter, the Bay County Chamber and

Economic Development Alliance website, lists serves, press releases, and (if

available) a program such as the Business Continuity Information Network (BCIN).

▪ Determine if any local businesses could help aid in the recovery efforts and

encourage the communication between the various parties.

▪ Implement the Small Bridge Loan Program.

▪ Assist business owners with relocation within the community to areas that may

decrease the vulnerability of their business

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN |8-3

The Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency Board

Executive Director

Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency

413 Harrison Avenue

Panama City, Florida 32401

(850) 785-2554

Responsibilities of the Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency Board include

the following:

▪ Work with the Chamber of Commerce to assist with the above mentioned tasks,

focusing on the Community Redevelopment Areas.

St. Andrews Waterfronts Partnership

Executive Director

St. Andrews Waterfronts Partnership

1134 Beck Ave

Panama City, Florida 32401

(850) 878-7208

Responsibilities of the St. Andrews Waterfronts Partnership include the following:

▪ Work in coordination with the Community Redevelopment Agency Board and

Chamber of Commerce with the above mentioned tasks, focusing on the St. Andrews

Waterfronts Partnership businesses.

8.2 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN REDEVELOPMENT DECISIONS

In the event of a catastrophic disaster, some areas may have suffered concentrated

damage such that major redevelopment is needed. Instead of allowing the

redevelopment of that area to be a piece-meal process or, worse yet, become a blighted

area of uninhabited structures, a visioning process that includes residents and business

owners could be used to create a strategic plan for the redevelopment of this area.

Sometimes the aftermath of a disaster provides an opportunity to make improvements to

the community. The involvement of all stakeholders in this visioning process ensures

that the plan is approved by the community and that those in the area will continue with

this visioning if other opportunities to redevelop present themselves. This section

outlines strategies for involving the public, both prior to the disaster as well as during the

implementation of the plan. These suggestions have been listed by their level of

difficulty of achievement within Panama City (low to high).

Pre-Disaster

Provide Information

▪ Local news channels can do a special segment on the plan.

▪ Conduct interviews on local radio talk shows (GCCC Wrap Report, Talk 101, etc.).

▪ Include information on disaster recovery and the PDRP on the Panama City website.

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▪ Conduct or sponsor public service announcements.

▪ Develop brochures explaining Panama City’s post-disaster policies and planned

procedures as well as provide information on the website.

▪ Distribute the plan’s Executive Summary to congressional representatives to inform

them about the plan.

▪ Form a speaker’s bureau to present the plan to local organizations (Chamber of

Commerce; First Friday Meetings; Rotary Club; and Kiwanis Club).

▪ Create a slogan for post-disaster redevelopment to be used after a disaster by the

community to communicate to residents and business owners where to go for

assistance and the city’s commitment to the timely recovery process.

Involve Residents

▪ Hold a charette-style meeting to encourage public participation during the visioning

process. The product of these meetings will be strategic plans for vulnerable areas of

the community that could possibly need to be redeveloped after a disaster.

▪ Encourage citizen participation in the aid of the development of a post-disaster

redevelopment scenario.

▪ Schedule a “Community Recovery and Resource Day.” Involve all local, state,

federal, and regional organizations as well as residents and members of the

community to come together to discuss post-disaster redevelopment. This also

provides an opportunity to present new ideas or receive feedback from the

community on the plan or recent implementation of the plan.

▪ Hold public workshops to solicit involvement from residents and business owners:

o Advertise the meeting dates and agendas on the local community calendar

websites (City of Panama City, Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast Community

College, etc).

o Involve local celebrities in the events.

o Include an open house as a part of the public workshop

o Encourage a two-way exchange to allow the community the ability to offer

comments and ask questions.

o Offer door prizes for those who complete surveys.

o Solicit sponsors from the community and ensure an outlet is available for them to

advertise their sponsorship.

Post-Disaster

▪ Determine areas that may need a visioning process for redevelopment based on the

vulnerability analysis.

▪ Determine the specific boundaries of the area and create maps depicting the

damages sustained in different areas as well as current and future land use

designations.

▪ Once the damaged area has been approved for a post-disaster redevelopment

visioning process, the city should prepare a press release that includes a description

of the visioning area and the city’s intentions and encourages residents and business

owners to participate in the visioning process.

▪ Hold a charette-style meeting to discuss any challenges or opportunities that have

presented themselves as a result of the recent disaster.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN |8-5

o Create a page on the city’s website that describes the visioning process and

future intentions for the areas being redeveloped.

o Advertise the website through a variety of venues to encourage pubic

involvement. This could include Disaster Recovery Centers and providing links

on other stakeholder organization websites.

o Analyze the risk of rebuilding (at parcel level, if available) and make mitigation

recommendations for the vision.

o Include an economic analysis describing the impacted community as it was

before the disaster and include possible suggestions that could restore the

economy or perhaps develop it in a new direction.

o Prepare visual choices for the visioning meetings such as maps to show the

potential alternatives and sketches to give the community an idea of what the

redeveloped areas might look like in the future.

o Hold the meeting on a Saturday during the day (to avoid any safety issues from

the disaster) so that all members of the community can participate. Advertise

these meetings using many different media outlets (editorials in newspapers,

radio interviews, local news broadcasts, etc.)

o Allow interested stakeholders to provide comments back on the visioning plan via

the city website.

o Develop goals and objectives for the meeting and use professional facilitation

services to ensure that these goals and objectives are accomplished.

▪ Start a public information campaign to encourage a positive image of the recovery

efforts. The campaign should be aimed at both business owners and residents and

keep them informed of progress. Ideas for the campaign are included below.

o Establish a point of contact for information, such as a main website.

o Begin to market and advertise the slogan aimed at providing information to

residents and business owners that was developed in the pre-disaster period.

o Utilize different methods of communication to advertise where to get information

(i.e., list serves, public service announcements, links on other agency websites,

etc.).

8.3 REGIONAL AND STATE COORDINATION

All coordination with outside agencies will go through the FEMA Liaison at the City

Manager’s Office (see contact information and responsibilities in Section 7.1). The City

Manager’s Office has the authority to delegate these responsibilities to the Working

Group Chairs, where appropriate (see Section 6.1.1 for Working Group Chairs). The

three bullets below provide information on the responsible party for coordinating with the

different levels of government agencies.

▪ County/Other Municipalities: The City Manager’s Office will be responsible for all

communication with the county and other municipalities. This position also will be

responsible for any communication between the city and the State of Florida or

Federal agencies.

▪ Regional Planning Council: The City Planning Department will be responsible for

establishing lines of communication with the Regional Planning Council.

8-6 | panama city plans integration assessment

▪ State/Federal Government: The City Manager’s office, which serves as the FEMA

Liaison, will handle all communications between State/Federal Government and the

city.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 9-1

9. action plan

In order to assist with the implementation of the PDRP, both pre and post-disaster actions or

initiatives have been developed for Panama City to consider implementing. Actions have been

developed for economic redevelopment, land use and community development, infrastructure,

finance and communication. The Action Plan is not an exhaustive list, but rather a working

document that can be continually updated. Completed actions that do not need to be

implemented after every disaster event can be taken off of the list and included in Appendix C

as a record of accomplishments.

The actions contained in the Panama City PDRP are considered the most important part of the

plan because while the initial planning phase has been completed, this plan is considered to be

a work-in-progress. Many of these actions are in-progress or have been identified as being

actions that should be taken as soon as possible. These are the actions that are vital to the

success of this PDRP and should be given high priority when continuing on with this effort.

The actions are organized in tables for each issue identified in Section 2. Each action includes

the committee members necessary for implementation, an approximate timeframe for

completion, and funding considerations. Proposed timeframes have been included to give the

Executive Committee and other interested parties an approximate timeframe during which they

should either start or accomplish the action. These timeframes should serve as a guide for

implementation and are not meant to be deadlines for completion. The funding considerations

have been identified to guide Panama City in identifying which actions the city may be able to

accomplish without additional funding and which would require forethought in obtaining funding

from outside sources. Available funding sources are discussed in more detail in Section 7.

It is important to note that any actions assigned to the Bay County Chamber of Commerce or

the Bay County EDA will be implemented countywide and not just within the City of Panama

City.

The below acronyms are used throughout the tables comprising the Action Plan on the following

pages:

▪ BCIN = Business Continuity Information Network;

▪ CRA = Community Redevelopment Agency Area;

▪ EDA

= Economic Development Alliance;

▪ ESF

= Emergency Support Function;

▪ FDCA = Florida Department of Community Affairs;

▪ FEMA = Federal Emergency Management Agency;

▪ GCCC = Gulf Coast Community College;

▪ GIS

= Geographic Information Systems;

▪ HMGP = Hazard Mitigation Grant Program;

▪ LMS

= Local Mitigation Strategy;

▪ PDM = Pre-Disaster Mitigation (FEMA grant program); and

▪ PDRP = Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan.

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9.1 LAND USE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIONS

Streamlining of the Redevelopment Process

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Evaluate the ability to temporarily streamline local

development orders in the aftermath of a disaster

without compromising development quality and

consistency with the city’s vision.

Planning Manager

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Evaluate all State regulations that may apply to the

redevelopment process and determine if there are

any actions that can be completed ahead of time to

expedite the review.

Planning Manager

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Determine procedures for streamlining development

orders for affordable housing developments to

function as long-term housing for displaced residents

(if possible) or emergency occupancy permitting

procedures for businesses that must relocate.

Planning Manager; Director of

Community Development

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Determine steps for emergency occupancy

permitting procedures for businesses that must

relocate, if possible.

Planning Manager; Director of

Community Development

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Conduct a study to determine which property owners

living in vulnerable areas do not currently have

homeowner’s insurance and target these areas for

buyouts; acquisition projects, and visioning for

redevelopment.

Director of Community Development

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Examine all of the current non-conforming uses and

determine how the city will address these uses

should the property be damaged beyond 50%,

leaving property owners unable to rebuild their home

or business.

Planning Manager; Director of

Community Development

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Explore the vulnerability of the Port of Panama City

and how to best streamline the permitting process

following a disaster to quickly repair the facility.

Panama City Port Authority; Planning

Manager

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time; economic

development

funding sources

Post-Disaster

CRAs meet often to review development orders in

order to streamline this supplemental review

process.

Planning Manager; CRA Board

Executive Director

As needed

In-house staff

time

Coordinate with all State and Federal agencies that

may be involved in the review process during

redevelopment in order to determine what types of

information they will need and if there are ways to

expedite the review process through close

coordination.

Planning Manager

Prior to

development

review

resumption

In-house staff

time

Disaster Housing

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Develop a disaster housing plan that addresses the

needs of displaced residents and sets criteria for

temporary housing types and locations. Coordinate

this effort with surrounding jurisdictions.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; City Manager's

Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Meet with local hotels and condo owners in the city

and surrounding areas to determine which can be

used for temporary housing for relief workers, city

employees, and residents.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 9-3

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-determine sites for mobile homes and travel

trailers if they cannot be located on the property that

received the damage. It also is important to

determine if sites designated for mobile home and

travel trailer placement have appropriate

infrastructure in place to support this function.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; Pubic Works

Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

Decide how the city will provide temporary housing

for citizens with special needs, including the elderly

and handicapped.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Determine if land development code changes are

required to allow temporary placement of disaster

housing.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Establish a timeframe goal for the transition of

disaster housing to permanent housing.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; Emergency

Management Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Evaluate the possible needs of the homeless

population in terms of shelter, food, and water in

Panama City and determine how the city will work to

address these needs post-disaster.

Community Development Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Post-Disaster

Contact the Board of Realtors to determine the

address of all available rental units in the community.

Planning Manager; Director of

Community Development

Immediately

In-house staff

time

Contact all local hotels to determine when they will

be ready to accept guests.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce

Immediately

In-house staff

time

Examine the preliminary damage assessment to

determine which areas were likely to have received

the most damage and, using this information and the

lists of available hotels and rental units, determine

best locations for temporary housing.

Planning Manager; Bay County

Emergency Management

Upon completion

of the

preliminary

damage

assessment

In-house staff

time

Conduct an assessment of the temporary housing

provided by the city to determine if it is meeting the

needs of the citizens, if it is still good condition, and

whether the city will be able to meet the established

goal timeframe for the transition of disaster housing

to permanent housing.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; Bay County

Emergency Management Director; Bay

County Builders Services

Every 6 months

after disaster

until transition is

complete

In-house staff

time

Determine if the current plan in place adequately

addressed the needs of the citizens and evaluate

any lessons learned and challenges. Compile this

information and include it in an update to the disaster

housing plan.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; Bay County

Emergency Management; Bay County

Builders Services

After disaster

housing

transition is

complete

In-house staff

time

Include Mitigation in Redevelopment Process

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Pre-identify potential mitigation projects and place

them on the Bay County LMS Project List.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; City Manager's

Office

Ongoing

In-house staff

time

Review current zoning and land use in relation to the

vulnerability analysis and determine if a disaster

could present an opportunity to make any needed

changes to better the community.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; City Manager's

Office; City Attorney

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Determine feasibility of utilizing incentives in

development permitting, such as density increases,

in exchange for implementing hazard mitigation

measures.

Planning Manager; City Attorney

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Launch a public outreach campaign on smart

development and redevelopment decisions that

focuses on integrating hazard mitigation into

development practices.

Planning Manager

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time; DCA

assistance; PDM

Conduct a study to determine the public opinion of

the redevelopment of the City Hall Complex and

Civic Center in its current location versus moving

these buildings to a less vulnerable location.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; City Manager’s

Office; CRA Board

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

9-4 | panama city plans integration assessment

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Post-Disaster

Meet with the public to identify interested landowners

in hazard-prone areas for potential buyout projects.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; City Manager's

Office

Within 3 months

In-house staff

time

Pursue funding for land acquisition and relocation

assistance to remove development from highly

vulnerable locations.

Planning Manager; Finance Director;

Community Development Director; City

Manager's Office; EDA; CRA Directors

Within 6 months

In-house staff

time; possibly hire

contractor to

assist

Evaluate whether amendments to the

comprehensive plan are needed due to unforeseen

disaster impacts.

Planning Manager

Ongoing through

long-term

recovery efforts

In-house staff

time

Affordable and Attainable Housing

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Evaluate the affordable housing needs of the

community to determine if this becomes an issue for

the city.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director

Annually

In-house staff

time

Post-Disaster

Determine if affordable and attainable housing is a

new issue for the city using the damage assessment

and information on who is applying for funding. If

affordable and attainable housing is determined to

be an issue, include this in the visioning process for

redevelopment and develop strategies for resolving

these issues.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director

Within 6 months

In-house staff

Utilize incentives, such as density bonuses, in

exchange for providing affordable housing.

Planning Manager; Director of

Community Development

Within 1 year

In-house staff

time

Document desired comprehensive plan changes to

the housing element pertaining to post-disaster

recovery and redevelopment for possible inclusion in

the city's next Evaluation and Appraisal Report.

Planning Manager; Director of

Community Development

Within 1 year

In-house staff

time

Environmental Restoration

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Evaluate the need for land acquisition for wetland

protection or coastal preservation that could also

serve a hazard mitigation function.

Planning Manager; City Engineer; Public

Works Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

Determine location of hazardous materials that may

be impacted from a disaster and document

procedures for long-term cleanup and public safety.

Bay County Emergency Management

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

Research urban forest funding programs for potential

use after a disaster to restore lost trees in the city.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2011

In-house staff

Post-Disaster

Assess the conditions of natural features of the

community, such as the coastlines and wetlands,

and determine if mitigation projects should be

developed.

Planning Manager; City Engineer; Public

Works Director

Within 6 months

In-house staff

time

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 9-5

Cultural and Historic Resource Restoration

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Integrate hazard mitigation and post-disaster

redevelopment planning practices into the CRA’s

strategic planning process.

Planning Manager; CRA Executive

Director; St. Andrews Waterfronts

Partnership

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Conduct a vulnerability assessment of all historic

structures within Panama City and consider including

mitigation projects in the LMS to harden and protect

those considered highly vulnerable without

compromising their historical integrity.

Planning Manager; CRA Executive

Director; St. Andrews Waterfronts

Partnership Program

2008 to 2011

In-house staff

time

Post-Disaster

Conduct a damage assessment to determine which

historically significant properties were impacted.

Planning Manager; CRA Executive

Director; St. Andrews Waterfronts

Partnership Program

Immediately

In-house staff

time

Devise strategies for the redevelopment of these

structures without compromising the historical

significance. The restoration project would be

undertaken by private owners unless the city owns

the property.

Planning Manager; CRA Executive

Director; St. Andrews Waterfronts

Partnership Program

Within 6 months

In-house staff

time

9.2 ECONOMIC REDEVELOPMENT

Retention of Major Employers

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

In the spring, hold annual workshops to educate

local businesses about business recovery and the

PDRP.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce

Annually in the

Spring

In-house staff

time

Coordinate with the small business incubator as a

viable resource for providing temporary business

locations following a disaster.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Partner with the Board of Realtors to establish this

agency as a resource for locating temporary sites for

damaged businesses.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Coordinate with all jurisdictions to explore locations

for Business Disaster Recovery Centers that would

1) be easily accessible; 2) have wireless Internet

access; and 3) have space that can be used for

various recovery stations.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Coordinate with temporary employment agencies on

their role as temporary employment providers to

displaced workers within the Business Disaster

Recovery Center.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce; PC Community

Development Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Establish EDA and Chamber of Commerce as the

lead in economic redevelopment following disasters

by gaining support in this role from elected officials

and community leaders.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Develop a campaign aimed at community business

owners focusing on the positive actions regarding

redevelopment and assistance that can be

implemented following a disaster.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce; CRA Board

Executive Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Encourage businesses to seek insurance that could

cover business interruptions from disasters and/or

set aside emergency funds for use after a disaster.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; CRA Board Executive

Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Meet with major employers within the city to share

the goals of the PDRP and involve them in the

economic redevelopment portions of the plan.

Businesses interested in participating could form a

PDRP Advisory Committee for economic

redevelopment and business recovery.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

9-6 | panama city plans integration assessment

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Conduct a study to determine the economic impact

should the Port of Panama City be lost or temporarily

closed following a disaster.

Panama City Port Authority; Bay County

EDA and Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time; Economic

development

grants

Determine where all organizations participating in

the PDRP implementation will relocate following a

disaster, if necessary.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce; PC Community

Development Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Post-Disaster

Coordinate with the Bay County School Board to

ensure that schools are re-opened as soon as

possible to give parents a place to send kids so they

can begin working again.

City Manager's Office; Bay County

School Board

Immediately

In-house staff

time

Open Business Recovery Centers to provide aid to

local businesses and advertise the location of these

centers.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce

Immediately

In-house staff

time

In an effort to speed up economic recovery, make

business permitting a priority during the permit

review process.

Planning Manager; Bay County Builders

Services

Immediately

In-house staff

time

Coordinate with the CRA Board of Panama City

during the redevelopment process to exchange

ideas and resources from the different community

jurisdictions.

Community Development Director; Bay

County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; CRA Executive Directors

Within 2 months

In-house staff

time

Implement a post-disaster recovery outreach

campaign designed to communicate recovery efforts

coordinated by the city to reassure businesses that

the plan is being implemented and that progress is

being made.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Community Development

Director; CRA Executive Director

Within 3 months

In-house staff

time

Explore the development of tax incentives for local

businesses during the recovery effort to encourage

reinvestment.

Finance Director; City Manager's Office;

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Congressional Delegation

Within 6 months

In-house staff

time

Local Business Assistance

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Assist businesses in the development of Business

Continuity Plans. Begin an outreach campaign that

supplies information about business vulnerability and

continuity planning (website, mailings, meeting

presentations, etc). Provide technical assistance to

small businesses interested in pursuing continuity

planning.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Bay County Emergency

Management

Ongoing

In-house staff

time

Create a list of qualified local and regional

contractors to perform post-disaster recovery work.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Advertise the opportunity to be included as a

licensed contractor on the websites of the City of

Panama City, the Bay County EDA, and the

Chamber of Commerce; in local newspapers; and

through other media outlets.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Bay County Builders

Services

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Develop a mutual aid agreement between the Bay

County EDA and the City of Panama City that

defines their respective roles in the implementation

of the PDRP Economic Redevelopment Actions,

both pre- and post-disaster.

Bay County EDA; City Manager’s Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Explore grant and funding aid programs that may be

able to assist the Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce with potential revenue losses

post-disaster.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Host a meeting to discuss business disaster

recovery and redevelopment with other Economic

Development Organizations in northwest Florida

through “Florida’s Greater Northwest” coordinated by

the West Florida Regional Planning Council.

West Florida Regional Planning Council;

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 9-7

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Organize business continuity planning workshops.

Business owners or professional continuity planners

who have developed successful plans could serve

as guest speakers. There are many sources of

business continuity planning materials available to

attendees to get them started.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Bay County Emergency

Management; Planning Manager; CRA

Board Executive Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time; funding for

speakers and/or

materials

Through Chamber of Commerce membership

correspondence and the EDA website, survey local

businesses to determine if they have a Business

Continuity Plan. The survey can be repeated to

monitor the progress of business continuity planning.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Research additional business recovery financial

assistance resources through the Small Business

Administration and the Business Development

Department of the Gulf Coast Community College

and stay up to date on this type of research

throughout the state.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce; Gulf Coast

Community College Representative

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time; college

interns; HMGP;

PDM

Work with Bay County Emergency Management to

establish an Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18,

which focuses on Business, Industry, and Economic

Stabilization, with the Bay County EDA and

Chamber of Commerce functioning as the lead for

this ESF.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Bay County Emergency

Management

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Work with Bay County Emergency Management to

determine the scheduling and location for staffing

within the Emergency Operations Center for both

ESF 18 and Panama City representatives.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Bay County Emergency

Management; City Manager’s Office

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Work with local businesses to define non-financial

methods of recovery assistance such as resource

sharing, communication needs, and necessary

support services (e.g., childcare). Begin working on

methods to supply this type of assistance.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Gulf Coast Community

College

2008 to 2011

In-house staff

time; HMGP/PDM

Planning funds;

team with GCCC

on this effort

Compile a database of contractors in Panama City

and the surrounding areas. Have entry fields for

areas of expertise, capacity, and experience.

Advertise the database.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Bay County Builders

Services

2008 to 2011

HMGP; PDM or

possibly BCIN

demonstration

Post-Disaster

Ensure that the Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce are up and running as soon as possible

by making their needs a priority to ensure that they

are capable of assisting local businesses.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Community Development

Director; CRA Executive Director

Immediately

In-house staff

time

In coordination with ESF 18, establish Business

Recovery Centers to provide key information and a

one-stop permitting center for local businesses.

Bay County EDA and Chamber of

Commerce; Bay County Emergency

Management; Bay County Builder’s

Services; Community Development

Director; Planning Manager

Immediately

In-house staff

time

Implement the Enterprise Florida Business Bridge

Loan Program.

Bay County EDA

As soon as

available

In-house staff

time

Once the development of the new Emergency

Operations Center is completed, include a

representative from ESF 18 to coordinate business

recovery and economic redevelopment.

Bay County EDA; Bay County

Emergency Management

Within the first

week

In-house staff

time

CRAs contact business owners within their

jurisdiction to ensure that their needs are being met

and provide additional resources.

CRA Executive Director; St. Andrews

Waterfronts Partnership Program

Within 2 months

In-house staff

time

9-8 | panama city plans integration assessment

9.3 LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC FACILITY REPAIR

Infrastructure and Public Facility Repair

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Reassess the progress of the mitigation projects and

update the fiscal year budget and timeframe

accordingly.

Public Works Director; Finance Director;

Utilities Director

Annually

In-house staff time

Explore the possibility of inter-local and mutual aid

agreements for infrastructure repair.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Develop project ideas and costs to incorporate

mitigation into the redevelopment of the vulnerable

infrastructure and include projects in the city's

Capital Improvement Plan and the Countywide LMS.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Develop a timeframe for executing each of the

projects and include the project cost in future budget

considerations based on the timeframe for execution

of the project.

Public Works Director; Finance Director;

Utilities Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Develop hazard mitigation project ideas for the

floodproofing of control panels and lift stations.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Evaluate all current critical infrastructure and

structures within the city to determine current

vulnerability.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Develop priorities for infrastructure repair based on

the city's need and vulnerability analysis.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Prearrange contracts with both local and non-local

contractors for repairs and supplies in order to

ensure that these repairs will be made as soon as

possible. Use a local contractor as the priority and

the non-local contractor as a backup if local

contractors do not have the capacity to make

repairs.

Public Works Director; City Manager's

Office; Utilities Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Stockpile any available temporary repair or

construction materials in a small warehouse for

immediate repair of public buildings following a

disaster.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Post-Disaster

Replace all downed power line poles with

storm-proof concrete poles.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

Immediately

In-house staff time

Form a committee comprising all cities within the

county as well as representatives from the county

and Florida Department of Transportation to

coordinate repairs to roads and other infrastructure.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

Within 3 months

In-house staff time

Using the damage assessment, evaluate the impact

to all structures and develop hazard mitigation

projects to address the vulnerabilities of the city’s

infrastructure.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

Within 3 monhts

In-house staff time

Develop HMGP applications for identified projects to

ensure that mitigation is included in the repair of

damaged structures through the Public Assistance

Program.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

Within 6 monhts

In-house staff time

Use hazard mitigation funds post-disaster to relocate

fuel holding tanks away from the coastline, further

inland up to the Bay Line property at Industrial Drive

and Highway 231 with pipelines.

Public Works Director; Utilities Director

Within 1 year

In-house staff time

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 9-9

Long-Term Debris Management

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Reassess pre-determined debris management sites

to determine availability.

Public Works Director

Annually

In-house staff time

Contact all debris removal contract holders to

determine their availability and interest in renewing

their contract.

Public Works Director

Annually

In-house staff time

Finalize the city's debris management plan.

Public Works Director; City Manager's

Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Pre-designate locations for managing debris that

could become a public health concern, such as large

piles of hazardous materials, etc.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Determine pre-existing conditions of debris

management site in order to ensure that the parcel

will be returned to these conditions prior to closure.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Explore additional debris management sites to

handle the capacity of larger storms that may not be

able to be managed at the current site.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Explore an interlocal agreement with the county for

debris removal or locations for debris management.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Create public education materials on the need for

proper segregation of debris.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Pre-determine how the city will address abandoned

structures and unmanaged debris on private

property.

Public Works Director; City Manager's

Office

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Develop building material reuse and recycle drop off

points and a public education campaign to explain

the use and location of these sites.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Explore the possibility of inter-local and mutual aid

agreements for debris management.

Public Works Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Post-Disaster

Open pre-designated debris management sites and

provide information on their location on websites, at

Disaster Recovery Centers, etc.

Public Works Director

Immediately

In-house staff time

Provide specific instructions for debris pick-up if the

city plans to provide this service to residents.

Public Works Director

Within 1 week

In-house staff time

Re-emphasize the importance of proper debris

removal and use of building material reuse and

recycle sites through public education materials on

websites, at Disaster Recovery Centers, etc.

Public Works Director

Within 1 month

In-house staff time

After the closure of the debris management site, test

soil and groundwater conditions and take appropriate

measures to restore to conditions prior to use.

Public Works Director

Upon closure of

the site

In-house staff time

9.4 COMMUNICATIONS

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Broadcast public service announcements and

distribute brochures and posters that provide

information on post-disaster recovery and direct

interested citizens to the website.

Planning Manager; City Manager's

Office

Annually in the

Spring

In-house staff

time

Schedule a "Community Recovery and Resource

Day" where all local, state, federal, and regional

organizations as well as residents and members of

the community come together to discuss

post-disaster recovery and provide comments on

actions taken thus far.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce; Community

Development Director; City Manager's

Office

Annually in the

Spring

In-house staff

time

9-10 | panama city plans integration assessment

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Ask local news channels and radio stations to do

special segments on post-disaster recovery and the

PDRP effort and provide annual updates on the new

actions taken.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Establish a website to serve as the central repository

for all disaster recovery-related information and

market this website through public service

announcements, other websites, posters, brochures,

etc.

Planning Manager; City Manager's

Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Form a speaker's bureau to present the plan to local

organization meetings such as the Chamber of

Commerce First Friday Meetings, Kiwanas, and

Rotary Clubs.

Planning Manager; City Manger's Office 2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Pre-designate Disaster Recovery Centers for

business owners and residents (separately) to serve

as the central location for all information regarding

recovery and redevelopment.

Planning Manager; Emergency

Management Director; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Identify all wireless Internet access sites available for

public use and document this information to be given

to local residents and business owners following a

disaster.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce

2008 to 2009

In-house staff

time

Hire a communications and pubic outreach specialist

to function as the disaster recovery Public

Information Officer. This position could be used for

other communication purposes as well.

City Manager's Office

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Record public service announcements and create

posters and brochures on post-disaster recovery

directing citizens to visit the website for more

information.

Planning Manager; City Manager's

Office

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

After 2009, update the plan's Executive Summary

and distribute to congressional representatives to

inform them about the plan.

Planning Manager; City Manager's

Office

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time

Hold a charette-style meeting to encourage public

participation during the visioning process in order to

develop strategic plans for vulnerable areas in the

community.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; CRA Executive

Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff

time; Panama City

Centennial

Conversations

Initiative; possible

DCA grant

opportunities

Post-Disaster

Determine which public wireless Internet access sites

are available for use post-disaster based on the

pre-identified list and advertise these locations

through the Disaster Recovery Centers and available

media outlets.

Planning Manager; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce

Immediately

In-house staff

time

Use GIS after the damage assessment has been

completed to determine if there are any areas of

concentrated substantial damage.

Planning Manager; Bay County

Emergency Management

Immediately

upon completion

of damage

assessment

In-house staff

time

Determine specific boundaries of the area and create

maps showing the damages sustained as well as

current and future land use designations.

Planning Manager; Bay County

Emergency Management

Within 3 months

In-house staff

time

Present maps to the Panama City PDRP Executive

Committee. If the committee decides a visioning

process is necessary, gain approval from the City

Commission.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; CRA Executive

Director

Within 3 months

In-house staff

time

Once the area has been approved for a post-disaster

visioning process, prepare a press release that

includes a description of the area and the city's

intentions and encourages community involvement in

the redevelopment process.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; City Manager's

Office

Within 6 months

In-house staff

time

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | 9-11

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Start a public education campaign to convey a

positive image of recovery aimed at both business

owners and residents that promotes use of the

website for more information as well as the Disaster

Recovery Centers for both businesses and residents.

Planning Manager; City Manager's

Office; Bay County EDA and Chamber

of Commerce

Within 6 months

In-house staff

time

Hold charette-style visioning workshops using the

procedures detailed in Section 8 of this plan.

Planning Manager; Community

Development Director; Bay County EDA

and Chamber of Commerce

Within 1 year

In-house staff

time; possible

post-disaster DCA

visioning funds

9.5 LOCAL POST-DISASTER FINANCING AND CAPACITY

Local Financial Reserves

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Evaluate city revenues in conjunction with the

vulnerability analysis to determine potential impacts.

Finance Director; City Manager's Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Identify bond capacity to meet potentially unmet

budget needs.

Finance Director, City Manager’s Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Confirm and document Mutual Aid Agreement with

the City of Port Orange and City of Naples

City Manager’s Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Determine if service levels of city services would be

impacted or jobs lost due to potential post-disaster

revenue decreases and how long city budget

reserves would be able to meet increased service

needs after a disaster.

Finance Director, City Manager’s Office

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Based on the guidebook to be completed by the

FDCA on post-disaster redevelopment funding

sources, create a matrix that matches of the needs of

the city to the available funding sources.

Finance Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Post-Disaster

Assess city financial reserves to determine if this will

be enough to cover the costs of recovery. If not,

explore solutions for augmenting this money through

loans or other sources.

Finance Director, City Manager's Office

Within 3 months

In-house staff time

Using the damage assessment and other information

provided post-disaster on extent of impacts (such as

that provided by the EDA), estimate how the city's

financial revenue sources have been impacted by the

disaster and explore possible actions necessary to

regain pre-disaster revenue and budget levels.

Finance Manager; City Manager's Office Within 6 months

In-house staff time

Using the damage assessment and other information

provided post-disaster on extent of impacts (such as

that provided by the EDA), project how the city's

financial revenue sources might be impacted by the

disaster and explore any alternative revenue sources

as well as possible actions to take to retain the

majority of these revenue sources.

Finance Manager; City Manager's Office Within 6 months

In-house staff time

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Local Capacity

Action

Committee Members Involved

Approximate

Timeframe

Funding

Considerations

Pre-Disaster

Re-adopt City Mutual Aid Agreement with the City of

Port Orange and City of Naples.

City Manager's Office

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Develop procedures and spreadsheets to use for all

FEMA transactions along with a filing system for all

transactions between local project managers and the

finance department.

City Manager's Office; Finance Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Conduct training sessions for all city employees that

will be involved in projects available for FEMA

reimbursement or grant funding to explain the city

procedures with regards to FEMA reimbursement

and grants management.

City Manager's Office; Finance Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Explore the Emergency Management Institute

training classes available both online and at the

National Emergency Training Center for FEMA on

disaster finance management and encourage all

employees involved to take online courses and send

the Finance Director to any training sessions

available.

City Manager's Office; Finance Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Establish one person as the Disaster Finance

Manager and require all transactions be signed off by

this person to ensure that proper documentation is

taking place. The Disaster Finance Manager will be

the central repository regarding all financial matters

during the disaster recovery process.

City Manager's Office; Finance Director

2008 to 2009

In-house staff time

Review the guidebook developed by the FDCA on

Disaster Recovery Financial Assistance (once

completed) to determine what resources would be

available to the community following a disaster and

provide this list as a part of Section 7 of this plan,

providing a reference to the guidebook.

City Finance Director; CRA Executive

Director; Bay EDA and Chamber of

Commerce;

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Explore the possibility of including the following

services in the City Mutual Aid Agreement with City

of Port Orange and City of Naples: debris

management, infrastructure repair, grant writing,

grant and project reimbursement management,

development review, and permitting.

City Manager's Office; Planning

Function Co-Chairs

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Organize a charitable organization recovery

committee to gain understanding of the services

offered by each and develop plan for how they can

be best utilized following a disaster for both residents

and business owners.

City Manager’s Office

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Hold meetings and begin organizing all charitable

organizations to determine how their efforts could be

best utilized following a disaster. Eventually, this

group could take over leadership with coordination

from the city and serve as a Working Group or

partner with the PDRP Executive Committee.

City Manager's Office; Finance Director

2008 to 2010

In-house staff time

Post-Disaster

Activate city mutual aid agreements as needed and

any pre-arranged contracts to augment the city's

local capacity.

Finance Director; City Manager's Office

Immediately, as

needed

In-house staff time

Meet with all local charitable organizations wishing to

contribute to the recovery and redevelopment

process to discuss pre-established procedures and

new resources that might be available.

Finance Director; City Manager's Office

Within 1 month

In-house staff time

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | A-1

Appendix A

Adoption Documentation

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | A-3

Appendix A

Adoption Documentation

City ordinance documenting plan adoption will be included

upon adoption.

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-1

Appendix B

Local and State Policies Related to the

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-3

Florida Regulations Related to Post-Disaster Redevelopment

Florida Statutes 163.3177(7)(l)

Local governments that are not required to prepare coastal

management elements under s. 163.3178 are encouraged to adopt hazard mitigation/post-disaster

redevelopment plans. These plans should, at a minimum, establish long-term policies regarding

redevelopment, infrastructure, densities, nonconforming uses, and future land use patterns. Grants to

assist local governments in the preparation of these hazard mitigation/post-disaster redevelopment plans

shall be available through the Emergency Management Preparedness and Assistance Account in the

Grants and Donations Trust Fund administered by the department, if such account is created by law. The

plans must be in compliance with the requirements of this act and chapter 252.

Florida Statutes 163.3178(2) Each coastal management element required by s. 163.3177(6)(g) shall be

based on studies, surveys, and data; be consistent with coastal resource plans prepared and adopted

pursuant to general or special law; and contain:

(f) A redevelopment component which outlines the principles which shall be used to eliminate

inappropriate and unsafe development in the coastal areas when opportunities arise.

F.A.C. 9J-5.012 (2) Coastal Management Data And Analysis Requirements. The element shall be based

upon the following data and analyses requirements pursuant to subsection 9J-5.005(2), F.A.C.

(e) The following natural disaster planning concerns shall be inventoried or analyzed:

2. Post-disaster redevelopment including: existing and proposed land use in coastal high-hazard areas;

structures with a history of repeated damage in coastal storms; coastal or shore protection structures;

infrastructure in coastal high-hazard areas; and beach and dune conditions. Measures which could be

used to reduce exposure to hazards shall be analyzed, including relocation, structural modification, and

public acquisition.

3. Coastal high-hazard areas shall be identified and the infrastructure within the coastal high-hazard

area shall be inventoried. The potential for relocating threatened infrastructure shall be analyzed.

F.A.C. 9J-5.012 (3)(b)(8) Prepare post-disaster redevelopment plans which will reduce or eliminate the

exposure of human life and public and private property to natural hazards;

F.A.C. 9J-5.012 (3)(c)(5)

Post-disaster redevelopment including policies to: distinguish between

immediate repair and cleanup actions needed to protect public health and safety and long-term repair and

redevelopment activities; address the removal, relocation, or structural modification of damaged

infrastructure as determined appropriate by the local government but consistent with federal funding

provisions and unsafe structures; limiting redevelopment in areas of repeated damage; and, policies for

incorporating the recommendations of interagency hazard mitigation reports, as deemed appropriate by

the local government, into the local government’s comprehensive plan when the plan is revised during the

evaluation and appraisal process;

F.A.C. 9J-5.012 (3)(c)(6)

Identifying areas needing redevelopment, including eliminating unsafe

conditions and inappropriate uses as opportunities arise;

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Panama City Comprehensive Plan Goals Objectives and Policies that relate to PDRP

Future Land Use Element

GOAL: PROVIDE THE FISCAL AND REGULATORY CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO

PROTECT THE HEALTH, WELFARE, SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF CITY CITIZENS

CONSISTENT WITH CONTINUED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRIVATE PROPERTY

RIGHTS AND; ESTABLISH A DEFINED PATTERN OF LAND USE INTENDED TO GUIDE THE

PROVISION OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND PROVIDE PREDICTABILITY IN MANAGING

DEVELOPMENT.

Policy 1.1.1, 7(a): [Special Industrial District (SI)] Intent – The intent of this district is to provide

areas for the location of industrial operations while at the same time providing protection for

environmentally sensitive areas.

Policy 1.1.1, 7(d): The following criteria and guidelines shall apply to development in the Special

Industry District.

(1) Streams, creeks, and other high-quality wetlands shall be protected and conserved

and designated as “Special Development” on the Future Land Use Map.

Development in areas designated “Special Development” shall be limited to road,

rail, and utility crossing, and/or similar development. Such crossings should be

located in areas which minimize the impacts to high-quality wetlands and provide for

uninterrupted water flow between such wetlands.

Policy 1.1.1, 10(1): Conservation Special Treatment Zone (CSTZ) – The CSTZ includes

potential wetland areas, flood zones as identified on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps for

Panama City and seagrass beds within City jurisdiction. Designation of areas within this zone is

not intended to prohibit or preclude development activity but rather provide an indicator that

environmental features may be present which require special permits or special construction

practices. Protection measures are specified in Policies 1.1.4, 5.1.3, and 6.6.2.

Policy 1.1.1, 10(4): Redevelopment/Revitalization Special Treatment Zone (RSTZ) – The RSTZ

includes areas which, by the nature of their physical attributes, transitional or blighted conditions

or other associated circumstances, are considered target areas for redevelopment/revitalization

efforts. The RSTZ is specifically intended to provide opportunities and incentives for the

redevelopment/revitalization of selected areas.

Policy 1.1.4: The City will undertake measures to protect and conserve environmentally

sensitive land within the “Conservation Special Treatment Zone.” Detailed and specific

standards will be included in the land development regulations which at a minimum, will

address:

1. Protection of identified wetlands as specified in Policy 6.6.2,2 of this Plan.

2. Refer developers of property suspected of containing jurisdictional wetlands to the

Department of Environmental Protection, and reserve development approval until

such time as jurisdictional interpretations and appropriate permits are obtained.

3. Prohibit or restrict development activities in areas identified as containing isolated

wetlands which are not under DEP jurisdiction, until such time as jurisdictional

permits are obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-5

4. Prohibit construction of docks, piers, wharves and other similar structures in water

bodies under City jurisdiction, unless approvals are obtained from other jurisdictional

agencies.

5. Coordinate with DEP on permits for development which would permanently damage

or destroy seagrass beds.

6. Establish a minimum 30-foot setback line for construction along the estuarine

shoreline.

7. Ensure that provision of the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance are vigorously

enforced.

8. The City will undertake measures to reduce stormwater pollution into surface waters.

At a minimum, these measures will include: 1) Requiring that developers obtain

stormwater permits pursuant to Ch. 17-25, FAC; 2) Reducing the potential for soil

erosion and sedimentation as specified in Policy 6.6.2; 3) Maintaining the adopted

level of service established in Subsection 4(c)1., and; 4) undertaking drainage

projects to be determined as a result of the revised Master Drainage Plan.

Policy 1.2.1: The City will administer land development regulations for implementation of the

Comprehensive Plan. At a minimum these regulations will:

1. Protect the Conservation-Protected lands designated on the Future Land Use Map

and in the Conservation Element (Policy 6.6.2) through the provision of or reference

to specific and detailed requirements which will include, but not be limited to,

protection or conservation of environmentally significant resources, standards for

development in areas containing such resources, coordination on permits from

appropriate regulatory agencies, mitigation of environmental impacts and other such

relevant requirements intended to provide reasonable protection of natural resources

in consideration of landowner’s constitutional property rights.

2. Regulate areas subject to seasonal and periodic flooding and provide for drainage

and stormwater management through provision of or reference to specific and

detailed requirements which will include but not be limited to, standards for

construction in designated flood-prone areas, standards for design or drainage and

stormwater management facilities, measures to protect drainageways and drainage

conveyance systems, and other such relevant requirements;

Objective 1.3: Provide flexibility in the ongoing approval process so as to encourage the

redevelopment or renewal of blighted or unsightly areas.

Policy 1.3.1: The City will coordinate with developers of areas considered to be blighted or

unsightly. Such coordination may include, but not be limited to: provision of public facilities;

relaxation of regulatory standards; tax incentives; development agreements or other actions

taken through the Community Development Department as part of the Community Development

Plan.

Policy 1.3.2: The City will use code enforcement and its land development regulations to reduce

eyesores, junk, substandard housing or unsafe buildings.

Objective 1.5: Coordinate coastal area population densities with adequate capability for

hurricane evacuation. Adequate capability will be maintaining existing evacuation times and

maintaining level of service standards on roadways as specified in the Traffic Circulation

Element of this Plan and as specified in the Bay County Peacetime Emergency Plan.

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Policy 1.5.1: The City will limit the density of dwelling units in the coastal area so as not to

exceed hurricane evacuation capabilities within the City’s jurisdiction. This will be accomplished

as part of the development review process.

Policy 1.5.2: The City will prohibit the location of hospitals, nursing homes, convalescent homes

or other similar high-density institutions in the hurricane evacuation zone.

Objective 1.12: Require that all proposed development/redevelopment activities are designed

and constructed in conformance with detailed and specific standards to be established in the

land development regulations, and as specified in Policy 6.6.2 of this Plan.

Policy 1.12.1: The City will maintain an ongoing program of stormwater management including

both regulation and capital improvements. Stormwater regulations will rely largely upon existing

laws and rules for permitting criteria.

Policy 1.12.2: The City will coordinate with Bay County and adjacent municipalities to establish

a basin-wide, inter-jurisdictional approach to stormwater management.

Policy 1.12.3: The City will carefully evaluate all proposed development/redevelopment activities

located in the Conservation areas designated on the Future Land Use Map for potential impacts

on flooding, drainage or damage to natural resources.

Policy 1.12.4: The City will maintain buffers and building setbacks for areas adjacent to

drainageways as part of its land development regulations.

Objective 1.5: Stimulate revitalization and redevelopment of blighted areas.

Policy 1.15.1: The City will continue to encourage revitalization and redevelopment of blighted

areas through appropriate State and Federal assistance programs.

Policy 1.15.2: The City will promote redevelopment/revitalization efforts through administration

of its land development regulation and capital improvements planning, Special Treatment

Zones, and efforts of the Community Redevelopment Agency.

Policy 1.16.2: Land uses or structures which do not conform to the provisions of this Plan on the

date of plan adoption will be considered non-conforming. Such land uses or structures will be

allowed to remain in non-conforming condition, including ordinary repair and maintenance until:

1) the land use or structure is discontinued or abandoned for a period of six (6) months or more;

2) the land use or structure is extended, modified or expanded; or 3) the structure is damaged to

the extent of fifty (50) percent or more of its replacement cost. Any non-conforming land use or

structure may be expanded, modified, extended or re-built with approval of the City Commission

on a case-by-case basis.

GOAL: PROMOTE AN ECONOMIC CLIMATE WHICH PROVIDES ECONOMIC STABILITY,

MAXIMIZES JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND INCREASES PER CAPITA INCOME FOR CITY

AND COUNTY RESIDENTS.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-7

Objective 1.17: Continue to increase the number of industrial/manufacturing jobs.

Policy 1.17.1: The City will use its land use designations and placement of public facilities to

attract new job-producing industries, corporate headquarters, distribution and service centers,

regional offices, and research and development centers for Bay County residents.

Policy 1.17.2: The City will coordinate with the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, the

Economic Development Alliance and the Panama City Port Authority on expansion of on-going

efforts to attract new business and industry to Bay County.

Policy 1.17.3: The City will use its Future Land Use Map to identify potential industrial parks and

business/commercial locations.

Policy 1.17.4: The City will designate additional areas on its future land use map for industrial

land uses to encourage economic development

Policy 1.17.5: The City will use industrial and commercial land use designations and provisions

of public facilities to increase small business and industry expansion, aggressive industry

recruitment, and encourage foreign investment.

Policy 1.17.6: The City will coordinate its comprehensive planning and land development

activities with the Panama City Port Authority so as to expand deep water trade at Port Panama

City.

Objective 1.18: Continue to achieve an annual increase in employment

Policy 1.18.1: The city will use Policies 1.17.1 – 1.17.6 to attract new employment opportunities.

Policy 1.18.2: Identify and attract industries with growth potential.

Policy 1.18.3: Utilize economic enhancement programs with private business to develop job

opportunities.

Policy 1.18.4: Expand downtown revitalization and other redevelopment programs for job

creation and retention.

Policy 1.18.5: Expand industry involvement in planning and designing training programs and

vocational curricula.

Policy 1.18.6: Develop industries that can utilize military retirees.

Housing Element

Objective 3.2: Provide for the elimination of substandard housing units

Policy 3.2.1: The City will continue its efforts through the Community Development Department

to eliminate substandard housing conditions.

Policy 3.2.2: The City will enforce the provisions of Sec. 19-3, Code of Ordinances to identify

condemn and demolish unsafe structures for which rehabilitation is not feasible.

B-8 | panama city plans integration assessment

Policy 3.2.3: The City will assist in the relocation of households displaced by demolition

activities through referrals and placements in public housing or subsidized housing.

Policy 3.2.4: The City will assist in the relocation of households displaced by community

development activities as specified in the “Section 8 Tenant Assistance Policy, Chapter XII –

Temporary Relocation.” Or the “Relocation Plan for Community Development Activities” and

Residential Antidisplacement and Relocation Assistance Plan Under Section 104(d) of the

Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as Amended document.

Policy 3.2.5: The City will, in conjunction with the Bay County Building Department, enforce the

provisions of the building, plumbing and electrical codes for all new or redeveloped building in

the City.

Policy 3.8.1: The City will provide assistance through the Community Development Department

for households needing relocation as a result of rehabilitation of community development

activities. The form of assistance provided will be based on the provisions of Policy 3.2.4.

Policy 3.9.1, Short-Term Objective (3): Rehabilitation Program – Provide financial assistance in

the form of direct loans, grants, loan guarantees, interest subsidies, mortgage refinancing or

combinations thereof to provide for the rehabilitation of substandard owner and renter occupied

primary residential and nonresidential properties.

Utilities Element

GOAL: PROVIDE A DRAINAGE PROGRAM WHICH WILL REDUCE STORMWATER

POLLUTION AND PROVIDE REASONABLE PROTECTION FROM FLOOD DAMAGE TO

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.

Policy 4.C.1.1: The City will use general funds to revise the Master Drainage Plan.

Policy 4.C.1.4: Priorities for replacement, correcting existing facilities deficiencies and providing

for future needs will be as follows in priority order:

1. Correction of drainage problems which cause flood damage to public and private

property.

2. Correction of problems or improvement of facilities which are intended to reduce

sedimentation in bays, bayous, and lakes.

3. Replacement of damaged or obsolete facilities;

4. Maintenance of facilities which are not operating at design efficiency

5. Regulation of new development to avoid future drainage and stormwater problems.

Objective 4.C.2: The City will maintain provisions for stormwater management in its land

development regulations.

Policy 4.C.2.1: The City will regulate new development and redevelopment in a manner which

requires stormwater impacts on drainage facilities and natural resources. Detailed and specific

regulations will be included in the land development regulations which provide for: buffer zones

for drainageways, design standards for stormwater facilities, on-site retention standards,

compliance with state stormwater rules and other similar provisions.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-9

Objective 4.C.3: Reduce the volume of stormwater and sediment entering the estuarine system

so as to protect natural drainage features.

Policy 4.C.3.1: the City will give priority status to drainage projects which reduce stormwater

sedimentation in the estuarine system, particularly lakes and bayous.

Objective 4.C.4: Provide stormwater management and drainage control through a combination

of regulatory measures and capital improvements.

Policy 4.C.4.1: The City will undertake a balanced program of regulation and capital

improvements to reduce drainage problems within the city.

Policy 4.C.4.2: The City will coordinate with adjacent municipalities, Bay County and

state/federal agencies to promote efficiency on drainage projects of mutual interest.

Objective 4.C.5: Reduce the potential for damage to public and private property caused by

flooding.

Policy 4.C.5.1: The City will use its “Conservation” land use category and its Flood Damage

Prevention Ordinance to reasonably reduce the potential for flood damage to public and private

property.

Coastal Management Element

(1) Purpose

To plan for and where appropriate restrict development activities where such activities would

damage or destroy coastal resources; and to protect human life and limit public expenditures in

areas subject to destruction by natural disaster.

GOAL: MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF COASTAL RESOURCES BY RESTRICTING

DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES WHICH DAMAMGE OR DESTROY COASTAL RESOURCES.

Objective 5.1: The City will maintain regulatory or management techniques intended to protect

coastal wetlands, living marine resources and wildlife habitat.

Policy 5.1.1: Development activities which have the potential to damage or destroy coastal

resources are considered to be: 1) dredge and fill operations in wetlands or seagrass beds; 2)

construction of piers, docks, wharves or other similar structures which extend into the water

from the shoreline; 3) removal of shoreline vegetation; and, 4) discharge of non-point source

pollutants into estuaries.

Policy 5.1.2: The City will evaluate the impacts on coastal resources caused by development

activities as a part of its impact measuring system. Such evaluation will include, location and

sensitivity of coastal resources as well as specific design standards or construction practices

intended to protect coastal resources.

Policy 5.1.3: The City will limit specific and cumulative impacts upon coastal wetlands, water

quality, wildlife habitat and living marine resources using the following regulatory and

management techniques:

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1. Protection of identified wetlands as specified in Policy 6.2.2, 2 of this Plan

2. Reserve approval of development permits until all applicable permits are obtained by

developers from jurisdictional agencies.

3. Prohibit construction of docks, piers, wharves or similar structures for areas under

City jurisdiction, unless specifically approved by the City Commission.

4. Coordinate with DEP to restrict construction activities which would permanently

damage seagrass beds, oyster reefs or other living marine resources, unless

appropriate mitigation measures are undertaken.

5. Establish a 30 foot estuarine setback line provision in the land development

regulations, including restrictions on the removal of shoreline vegetation.

6. Reserve approval of development permits until stormwater discharge permits are

obtained pursuant to Chapter 17-25, FAC.

Policy 5.1.4: The City recognizes the inherent conflict between coastal resource protection and

the expansion of existing industrial land uses. Expansion of such facilities may be approved by

the City Commission when appropriate mitigation measures are taken.

Objective 5.2: Undertake measures to maintain and improve estuarine environmental quality.

Policy 5.2.1: The City will require that all applicable permits are obtained from jurisdictional

agencies prior to issuing its development approval, and will include such provisions in its land

development regulations.

Policy 5.2.2: The City will require that development undertaken in the coastal area be designed

and constructed so as to reduce stormwater discharges and sedimentation as specified in

Policies 1.1.4, 5.1.3 and 6.6.2.

Policy 5.2.3: The City will undertake drainage improvements, based on engineering data

intended to improve the quality of stormwater discharged into the estuarine system.

Policy 5.2.4: The City will require mitigation of damage to coastal resources caused by

development activities when such activities meet the requirements of Rules 17-312, Part III,

FAC.

Policy 5.2.5: The City will coordinate with state agencies and Bay County to protect North Bay

and St. Andrews Bay by reviewing and commenting upon applicable sections of their respective

comprehensive plans, and by assuring that all applicable permit requirements are met.

Objective 5.3: The City will use the criteria for prioritizing shoreline uses specified in Policy

5.3.1.

Policy 5.3.1: The City recognizes the need to establish the public interest in achieving a balance

between competing waterfront land uses and the limited amount of shoreline available for such

uses. When making decisions concerning designation of land use districts, approval of plan

amendments or issuance of development approvals involving competing shoreline land uses the

City will choose the following land uses in priority order, using 1 as the highest priority.

1. Water- dependant land uses, including water dependant conservation or recreation

uses.

2. Water-related land uses;

3. Land uses for which a definitive public purpose has been established; and

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-11

4. Other land uses which are not water-dependant or related including residential,

commercial, institutional, or industrial.

Policy 5.3.2: Specific and detailed provisions for the siting of marinas will be maintained in the

land development regulations. Such provisions will include the following criteria:

1. Demonstration of the presence of sufficient upland area to accommodate parking,

utility and support facilities;

2. Provide public access;

3. Lie outside areas identified as inappropriate for marina development in the Marian

Siting Study for West Florida (West Florida Regional Planning Council; June 1984)

unless appropriate mitigating actions are taken.

4. Demonstrate oil spill cleanup capability within boundaries of the leased area;

5. Provide a hurricane mitigation and evacuation plan;

6. Designate future upland spoil site(s) for maintenance dredging activities;

7. Be located in proximity to natural channels so that minimum or no dredging will be

required for provision of docking facilities.

8. Have available adequate sewage treatment facilities to serve the anticipated volume

of waste. Marinas with fueling facilities will provide pump-out facilities at each fuel

dock. Commercial marinas and those with live-aboard overnight transient traffic will

provide upland sewage facilities and prohibit inappropriate sewage pump out.

9. Maintain water quality standards as provided by Chapter 403, Florida Statutes;

10. Locate in areas having adequate water depth to accommodate the proposed boat

use without disturbance of bottom habitats;

11. Delineate immediate access points with channel markers that indicate speed limits

and any other applicable regulations;

12. Be sited in appropriate zoning districts;

13. Locate in areas away from seagrass beds, oyster reefs and other important fish and

shellfish spawning and nursery areas;

14. Demonstrate that it meets a public need thereby demonstrating economic

viability/feasibility.

Objective 5.4: The City will maintain measures in its land development regulations providing

standards which protect beach systems from the impacts of man-made structures.

Policy 5.4.1: The City will provide specific and detailed provisions for protection of beach

systems in its land development regulations. Such provisions will include setbacks from the

shoreline for non-water dependant structures, required construction practices, and coordination

of permitting with appropriate jurisdictional agencies.

GOAL: REDUCE THE RISK OF HURRICANE RELATED DAMGE TO LIFE AND PROPERTY

Objective 5.5: Maintain or reduce hurricane evacuation times.

Policy 5.5.1: The City will coordinate with and assist Bay County in the implementation of the

County Peacetime Emergency Plan by providing police and fire department support personnel

during emergencies.

Policy 5.5.2: The City will use its land development regulations to prohibit the location of

hospitals, nursing homes and other similar structures in the 100-year flood zone.

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Policy 5.5.3: The City will identify and maintain a list of elderly, handicapped or infirmed persons

that might require special evacuation assistance.

Objective 5.6: Maintain procedures which will reduce the exposure of human life and public and

private property to hurricane-related hazards.

Policy 5.6.1: All habitable structures will be designed and constructed in conformance with the

City’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

Policy 5.6.2: The City will not locate infrastructure facilities, except for water-dependant facilities,

in the 100-year flood zone.

Policy 5.6.3: Post-disaster redevelopment will be undertaken in conformance with the City’s

Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance of this Plan, including attendant land development

regulations.

Policy 5.6.4: When undertaking post-disaster redevelopment activities development permits

may be waived for short-term recovery measures such as:

1. Damage assessment to meet post-disaster assistance requirements

2. Removal of debris

3. Emergency repairs to streets, water, electricity or other associated utilities to restore

service;

4. Public assistance including temporary shelter or housing.

Policy 5.6.5: Long-term redevelopment activities will require approval of development permits

and be consistent with this plan. These activities include:

1. Repair or restoration of private residential or commercial structures with damage in

excess of 50% market value;

2. Repair or restoration of docks, seawalls, groins, or other similar structures;

3. Non-emergency repair to bridges, highways, streets or public utilities.

Policy 5.6.6: When reviewing permits for post-disaster redevelopment activities the City will

evaluate hazard mitigation measures including:

1. Relocation of structures

2. Removal of structures

3. Structural modification of buildings to reduce the risk of future damage.

Policy 5.6.7: The City will use specific regulatory and management techniques for general

hazard mitigation including:

1. Regulation of construction practices in flood-prone areas as specified in the City’s

Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

2. Providing specific and detailed standards in the land development regulations for

shoreline construction including provisions for building setbacks, removal of

vegetation, and construction seaward of the mean high-water line;

3. Use of the stormwater pollution abatement standards found in Chapter 17-25, FAC.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-13

4. Location of sewer facilities outside flood-prone areas or floodproofing of such

facilities to prevent flood damage in accordance with FEMA construction standards;

and

5. Limiting residential densities in areas subject to hurricane evacuation.

Policy 5.6.8: The City will incorporate applicable future recommendations of the interagency

Hazard Mitigation Report into this Plan. Specific inclusion of recommendations pertaining to

zoning, densities and building practices will be undertaken as plan amendments.

Policy 5.6.9: As part of the post-disaster redevelopment process the City will structurally modify

or remove infrastructure facilities which have experienced repeated storm damage.

Policy 5.6.10: The City will maintain existing evacuation times by limiting the density and

intensity of land uses, except for water-dependant land uses, in the Category 3 evacuation zone

to existing densities and intensities, and by maintaining level of service standards on evacuation

roadways. These measures will be incorporated into the County Peacetime Emergency

Management Plan upon its next revision.

Policy 5.8.1: Capacity of public facilities will be estimated using the level of service standards

presented in the Traffic Circulation, Utilities, and Recreation and Open Space Elements of this

Plan. No development will be permitted in the coastal area unless public facilities and service

are available concurrent with the impacts of development or phased to coincide with the

demands generated by development or redevelopment.

Policy 5.8.2: The City will not increase the capacity of infrastructure facilities in coastal areas

subject to destruction by hurricanes, except for water-dependant facilities.

Objective 5.9: Provide ongoing and effective coordination with the Panama City Port Authority

on the orderly development and use of the Port of Panama City. At a minimum, such

coordination will include measures specified in Policy 5.9.1 to resolve problems in

transportation, land use, natural and man-made hazards, and protection or natural resources.

Policy 5.9.1: The City will use the following measures to coordinate with the Panama City Port

Authority on the orderly development and use of Port Panama City:

1. Natural and Man-made Hazards. The City will require general hazard mitigation at

Port Panama City including: enforcement of the provisions found in the Flood

Damage Prevention Ordiance; providing specific and detailed provisions for

waterfront construction and building setbacks from the shoreline; requiring

stormwater permits pursuant to Chapter 17-25, FAC and limiting storage or transfer

of hazardous materials on port property.

2. Protection of Natural Resources. The City will support protection of natural

resources in or adjacent to port property as specified in Section VIII.-10, Objectives

1.1 – 1.3 and Policies 1.1.1 - 1.3.1 of this Plan.

Coastal Management Element, Port Master Sub-Element

Policy 1.2.2: The Port Authority shall restore or enhance coastal resources which may be

destroyed or significantly damaged by in-water development activities through mitigation

measures specified as permit conditions.

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GOAL 2: REDUCE EXPOSURE OF HUMAN LIFE AND PROPERTY TO DESTRUCTION BY

NATURAL HAZARDS THROUGH HAZARD MITIGATION AND ADEQUATE HURRICANE

EVACUATION MEASURES.

Objective 2.1: Locate, design and construct buildings and facilities in a manner which will

mitigate hazards from natural disasters and reduce exposure of life and property from harm.

Policy 2.1.1: Habitable, non-residential buildings located in the defined “A” flood zone shall be

designated and constructed so as to reduce the potential for flooding and wind damage.

Policy 2.1.2: All structures located within the defined “A” flood zone as shown on Flood

Insurance Rate Map Panel Number 120012 005 D shall be constructed in accordance with

provisions specified in the City’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance.

Policy 2.1.3: All buildings shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the Standard

Building Code, 1988 Edition or as approved by the City.

Policy 2.1.4: All buildings and parking areas shall be designed and constructed in accordance

with provisions of Rule 17-25, FAC and be capable of attenuating a 25-year, critical duration

rainfall event.

Objective 2.2: Upon adoption of this Plan, maintain or reduce hurricane evacuation times

through the support of roadway improvements and coordination with Bay County Emergency

Management.

Policy 2.2.1: The Port shall adopt a hurricane evacuation contingency plan which supports the

Bay County and Panama City Emergency Plans.

Policy 2.2.2: The Port Authority shall participate on the MPO so as to effect improvements to

roadways which will improve hurricane evacuation times.

Objective 2.3: Utilize defined post-disaster redevelopment procedures to reduce or eliminate

exposure of human use and property to natural hazards.

Policy 2.3.1: Post-disaster redevelopment shall be undertaken in conformance with the City’s

Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance and this Plan, including attendant land development

regulations.

Policy 2.3.2: When undertaking post-disaster redevelopment activities development permits

may be waived for short-term recovery measures such as:

1. Damage assessments to meet post-disaster assistance requirements;

2. Removal of debris;

3. Emergency repairs to streets, water, electricity or other associated utilities to restore

service;

Policy 2.3.3: Long-term redevelopment activities shall require approval of development permits

and be consistent with this Plan. These activities include:

1. Repair or restoration of private residential or commercial structures with damage in

excess of 50% market value;

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-15

2. Repair or restoration of docks, seawalls, groins, or other similar structures;

3. Non-emergency repair to bridges, highways, streets or public utilities.

Policy 2.3.4: When reviewing permits for post-disaster redevelopment activities the City will

evaluate hazard mitigation measures including:

1. Relocation of structures

2. Removal of structures

3. Structural modification of buildings to reduce the risk of future damage.

Policy 2.3.5: The Port Authority shall incorporate applicable future recommendations of the

Interagency Hazard Mitigation Report into this sub-element. Specific inclusion of

recommendations pertaining to building practices will be undertaken as plan amendments.

Policy 2.3.6: As part of the post-disaster redevelopment process the Port Authority shall

structurally modify or remove infrastructure facilities which have experienced repeated storm

damage.

GOAL 3: MAINTAIN, ENHANCE AND PROMOTE THE ONGOING ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT OF PORT PANAMA CITY AND INDUSTRIAL PARK THROUGH A

COORDINATED PROGRAM OF MAINTENANCE AND EXPANSION PROJECTS.

Conservation Element

Policy 6.6.2: The City will protect and conserve the natural functions of existing soils, wetlands,

marine resources, wildlife habitat, flood zones and estuaries by enforcing the guidelines

established in its land development regulations.

Policy 6.6.2, 3(b): Estuarine Shoreline – No development or construction activity will be

permitted within thirty (30) feet of the mean high tide line of any estuarine water body. Within

this restricted area, all natural shoreline vegetation will be preserved for a distance of twenty

(20) feet landward form the mean high tide line, except for a cleared corridor not to exceed

fifteen (15) feet in width to provide access to the water.

Policy 6.6.4: The intent and policy of the City will be to maintain, conserve, protect, enhance and

appropriately utilize wetlands within the City, recognizing the rights or individual property owners

to use their lands in a reasonable manner as well as the rights of all citizens of the City to the

protection of natural resources of the City, including the natural wetland hydrologic cycles and

ecologic systems.

The City recognizes an important public interest in wetlands which perform physical and

ecological functions, including:

1. Natural storage and conveyance of rainwater.

2. Temporary storage of surface waters during times of flood, regulating flood

elevations and timing, velocity and rate of flood discharges.

Policy 6.6.5: Wetlands in the City, including those which are designated on the future land use

map series, and those that are part of the conservation special treatment zone will be subject to

the following protection measures. The identification of any wetlands on the future land use

map and conservation zone are presumptive only and must be specifically identified and

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delineated as set forth below. Wetlands will be designated for appropriate low impact land uses

which will insure the protection of functionally valuable wetlands and to integrate them into the

natural stormwater system and the master stormwater management plan for the watershed.

Policy 6.6.5, 3(c): Development Restrictions. In addition to the development restrictions

otherwise required under the Plan, including those required in the conservation special

treatment zone, any development proposed in a wetland area will be restricted in relation to its

functional value. Wetlands of high functional value will be preserved in accordance with Policy

6.6.6.1; wetlands of moderate and low functional value will be incorporated into the surface

water management system where practicable, with restrictions in accordance with Policy

6.6.6.2(c) for commercial use and Policy 6.6.6.2(a) for residential use. Those areas contiguous

to high or moderate functional wetlands which have a reasonable chance to become

reestablished will be carefully considered in terms of impacting adjoining communities.

Capital Improvements Element

Policy 9.1.2: When evaluating the need for capital improvements the City will use the following

criteria:

1. Elimination of public health and safety hazards

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-17

Bay County LMS Excerpts Relating to Panama City, FL

Impacts of Naturally Occurring Hazards for Panama City, FL:

▪ Coastal Storm – common impacts include high wave action, higher than normal tidal

action and commonly cause undermining of structures and loss of beaches.

▪ Flood – common impacts include loss of ingress/egress for life safety,

contamination/disease from septic tanks and effluent contact. Loss of potable water

wells, drowning, collapse of structures, undermining of roads, bridges, and other critical

infrastructure.

▪ Hurricane – common impacts include extremely high winds >74 MPH, extreme

pressures that wreck havoc on structures, vehicles and generally any unsecured and

often times secured objects including trees, vehicles, people, pets. Often including

lightning, hail, coastal surges, coastal erosion, dam failure, flooding through-out lower

lying areas.

▪ Tornado – common impacts caused by what is termed as nature’s most violent storms

include catastrophic structure damage to buildings, trees, power lines, life safety, mobile

homes, and vehicles. Usually associated with or caused by thunderstorms and

hurricanes. Can include torrential downpours, flooding, lightning, dramatic decreases in

temperature and barometric pressures. Can cause loss of power which can lead to

other catastrophic health safety issues for those outside the areas directly impacted.

Down power lines can cause electrocution. Can propel objects such as vehicle, homes,

people, and even large trees, sometimes hundreds of feet.

▪ Wildfire – common impacts are uncontrolled devastation to life, improved property,

vegetation smoke and smoke inhaled injuries. Can lead to erosion, landslides, and

water pollution to eco-systems

▪ Windstorm – common impacts include loss of power. May include tornadoes, lightning,

topple trees, damage to improved structures. (p. 15)

A list of all critical facilities including addresses has been included following the above table.

This is considered confidential information. Not for public disclosure. The following types of

critical facilities exist in Panama City:

▪ Health care facilities

▪ Community utility facilities

▪ Designated hazardous materials facility

▪ Key transportation facility or routes

▪ Government offices

▪ Emergency Services buildings

▪ Schools

A vulnerability assessment has been completed for each of the critical facilities and a score

assigned to each facility. Confidential--Not for public disclosure.

The following information can be found in the jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan for Panama

City, FL:

▪ Designated Panama City Representatives on the Bay County Mitigation 20/20 Task

Force are Ron Morgan and Ron Thomasson.

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Current Land Uses and Potential for New Development

Current Land Use Categories

Percent of Jurisdiction

Commercial

24%

Developed with mixed uses

17%

Industrial

11%

Institutional (education, health care, etc.

3%

Parks/restricted wild land/wildlife refuge

2%

Residential

8%

Transportation or utility right-of-way

11%

Vacant/unused- government ownership

1%

Vacant/unused – private ownership

1%

Waterway/lake/wetland

8%

Agricultural

14%

16% of the jurisdiction remains to be developed (5.512 square miles).

Future Land Uses and General Development Trends

Future Land Use Categories

Percent of Jurisdiction

Commercial

25%

Developed with mixed uses

27%

Industrial

11%

Institutional (education, health care, etc.)

3%

Parks/restricted wild land/wildlife refuge s 7%

Residential

8%

Transportation

11%

Waterway/lake/wetland

8%

The current rate of development of vacant or unused land is: Rapidly or somewhat faster than

expected.

Development/Redevelopment Currently Controlled By:

o A building code

o A land use plan

o A zoning code

o Flood Ordinance

o Fire-Structural Ordinance

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-19

Hazard

Hazard

Vulnerability

Rating

Estimated Extent of Impact

High Winds

50

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Flooding

40

Less than 75% of developed area impacted

Storm surge, Tsunami 40

Less than 75% of developed area impacted

Loss of Electrical

Service

28

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Loss of Water Service 24

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Loss of Sewer Service 24

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Civil Disturbance

20

Less than 25% of developed area impacted

Telecommunications 16

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Loss of Gas Service

12

Less than 50% of developed area impacted

Severe Winter Storm 12

Less than 25% of developed area impacted

Terrorism

12

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Lightning

12

Less than 25% of developed area impacted

Radiological

10

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Hazardous Materials 10

Over 75% of developed area impacted

Major Fire-Urban

6

Less than 25% of developed area impacted

The City of Panama City is a current participant in the NFIP program as well as the CRS

program with a current CRS Rating of 7.

Mitigation Initiatives Currently Proposed for the City:

12th Street & Wilson Drainage Improvements: To improve drainage around Bay High School and

surrounding homes and businesses.

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Bay County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Excerpts Related to

the Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

▪ Purpose: To minimize loss of life, suffering and property damage resulting from any

natural, peacetime emergency, and nuclear attack. The plan predetermines, to the

extent possible, actions to be taken by Bay County and its municipalities to prevent such

acts, to reduce the vulnerability of such acts, and provide for the recovery in the

aftermath of disasters through the four phases of emergency management. (BP-2)

▪ Economic Profile: There are approximately 145 manufacturing establishments in the

County, producing diverse products such as paper, chemicals, boats, asphalt, metal

fabrications, fiberglass fixtures, and other items. Forest products and related industries

are also important to the economy of the county. (BP-17)

▪ Levels of Disaster:

o Minor Disaster: A minor disaster that is likely to be within the response

capabilities of local government and result in only minimal need for State or

Federal Assistance.

o Major Disaster: Defined under P.L. 93-288, any natural catastrophe, including

any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, wind-driven water, tidal wave,

tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm or

drought), or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any part of the

United States, which in the determination of the President, causes damage of

sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance under this

Act to supplement the efforts and available resources of States, local

governments, and disaster relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss,

hardship or suffering caused thereby.

o Catastrophic Disaster: A disaster that will require massive State and Federal

assistance, including immediate military involvement. For the purpose of this

plan, a catastrophic disaster is defined as an event that results in large number of

deaths, and injuries; causes extensive damage or destruction of facilities that

provide and sustain human needs; produces an overwhelming demand on State

and Local response resources; and severely affects State, local and private

sector capabilities to begin and sustain activities. (BP-19)

▪ Local government has negotiated mutual aid agreements with other local governments

(i.e. municipalities), special districts, and voluntary organizations. Bay County

departments and agencies have the expertise, resources, specific plans and procedures

in place to be utilized in relieving emergency or disaster related problems. (BP-19)

▪ Executive Section: Responsible for providing political representation and inputs for the

decision making process to the IC. Additionally this section is made up of two divisions:

the County Division and the Municipal Division. The County Division consists of

members of the Bay County Board of Commissioners, the County Administration

officials, the County Attorney, and the County Clerk. The Municipal Division consists of

representation from the eight municipalities. These are the senior personnel empowered

with specific decision making authority for the municipality which they serve. (BP-21)

▪ The alternate EOC for Bay County is the Florida Highway Patrol Facility located at

CR 2321 just off of SR 231. (BP-21)

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-21

▪ Long-term recovery from a disaster may go on for years until the entire disaster area is

completely redeveloped, either as it was in the past or for entirely new purposes that are

less disaster-prone. See responsibility matrix page [Missing] (BP-23)

▪ Departments of the County Government are shown in the Bay County Organizational

Chart, Annex III, p. 5. [Missing p. 3-7 of Annex] (BP-23)

▪ Municipal Support: County actions do not change a great deal in emergency operations.

Each municipality has instructed their departments they work under the direction of the

County Department of Emergency Services, Chief or his/her designee (DES) during,

declared state of emergencies. Figure I-10 shows the County’s Organizational Chart

during emergency operations. [Missing] (BP-24)

▪ Each organization in the responsibility matrix has identified those personnel/procedures

necessary to perform their roles and established coordination activities with Volunteer,

Private, City, County, State and Federal agencies. [Missing] (BP-24)

▪ Recovery Phase: This phase begins when all necessary response activities have been

completed and the threat to the county has passed. Recovery operations consist of two

periods—the immediate recovery period are search and rescue operations,

reinstatement of essential services, restoration of vital facilities and preliminary damage

assessment. The long-term recovery phase beings at the conclusion of the immediate

recovery phase and includes activities such as final damage assessment and the

operation of Disaster Application Centers (DACs). The long-term recovery period ends

when the County has been restored to pre-disaster condition. Generally, the immediate

recovery period will be conducted form the EOC. Long-term recovery will be

coordinated by the CDES with each agency in its normal environment and/or field

command centers as conditions warrant. The Chairman or Designee will be in charge of

recovery efforts. (BP-28)

▪ Short-term Recovery: The restoration of vital services and facilities to minimum

standards of operation and safety. During short-term recovery, severely damaged

buildings/facilities are scheduled to be replaced or removed, restoration of water and

sewer, electrical and communications infrastructure occurs. These systems will be

restored to normal, or near normal during short-term recovery efforts. (BP-31)

▪ Long-term Recovery: The efforts for long-term recovery may take years as the

community slowly returns to pre-disaster states or better. These activities might include

complete redevelopment of community damaged areas or infrastructure. Additionally,

areas may require mitigation efforts to bring about long-term recovery. (BP-31)

▪ Mutual Aid Agreements or Memorandums of Agreements are designed to assist in the

County meeting its responsibilities when local requirements exceed local resources.

These agreements will be developed between the two or more parties requesting or

providing the needed resources or services. The document will coordinate between the

requesting and providing agencies and signed and dated by all parties signifying and

acknowledging the responsibilities of all involved. Bay County as a participating member

of the Statewide Mutual-Aid Agreement will adhere to the policies/procedures as set

forth in the most current agreement for providing and/or requesting mutual-aid. Any

agreements entered into for the purpose of Emergency Management

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activities/operations will be included as an annex to this plan and reviewed annually by

the CDES. The Chief, Department of Emergency Services or designee is responsible

for overseeing the mutual aid process. (BP-32)

▪ The Bay County’s emergency operating structure has five basic groups or sections.

Each of these sections has roles and responsibilities in recovery and mitigation

operations and planning as it is noted below.

o Command Section: The Command Section provides overall Operations Control

(OPCON) or emergency/disaster situation management, develops/implements

action plans, controls/coordinates operations tempo, resource/logistics

management and the evaluation of operations/exercises.

o Incident Commander: The IC provides overall operational management of the

disaster or emergency situation. The IC also directs the

development/implementation of actions plans, coordinates operations, provides

resources/logistics management and conducts evaluation of

operations/exercises.

o Command Staff Role: Command Staff personnel assists the IC in providing

overall or emergency/disaster situations management, as well as

developing/implementing action plans, controlling/coordinating operations,

resources/logistics management and the evaluation of operations/exercises.

Additionally, public information programs are designed and implemented by

members of the command staff, specifically the tasked is the Public Information

Officers.

▪ Command Staff – Operations:

• Assistant Chief, DES (Alternate IC)

• Emergency Management Planner (Message/Logistics)

• Communications Supervisor (LGR Communications)

• Public Information Officer

o Operations Section: The Operations Sections provides situational analysis and

development/implantation of response and recovery activities…The Operations

Sections will assist Command Section in strategic goals and tactical objectives in

addition to crisis action plan development, resource management

(request/release resources though the IC).

▪ Operations Section Support Functional Branches

• Communications Branch (Bay County Warning Point)

o Planning Section: Prepare crisis action plans and activities for damage

assessment, engineering roads, and debris removal operations. (BP-41 – BP-42)

▪ Service Groups: These groups provide for all services for responding to emergency

requirement needs. Requests, control (to include assignment and tracking) and

disposition of resources will accomplished by this group.

o Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). Provides necessary goods

and services by coordinating use of volunteering and collecting donations.

o American Red Cross. Provides goods and services for mass care operations

and manages the County Shelter activities.

o Salvation Army. Provides goods and services for mass care operations and

assist in the County Shelter activities.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-23

▪ Executive Section. Responsible for providing political representation and inputs for the

decision making process to the Command Section IC. Additionally, this section is made

up of two divisions; the County Division and the Municipal Division…The municipal

division consists of representatives from eight municipalities. These representatives will

be the senior personnel empowered with specific decision making authority for the

municipality which they serve. (BP-44)

▪ County Purchasing agency is responsible for the procurement of need supplies for

supporting the four phases of emergency management during normal operations. When

a local state of emergency declaration is implemented the declaration provides authority

for the local emergency management agency under the political subdivision, to waive the

procedures and formalities otherwise required as provided in Florida Statutes Chapter

252:

o Performance of public work and appropriate action to insure the healthy, safety

and welfare of the residents of Bay County

o Enter into contracts.

o Employment of permanent and temporary workers.

o Utilization of volunteer workers. (BP-45)

▪ Through day-to-day operations, staff are familiar with internal cost accounting practices

and procedures. Prior to an impending disaster or immediately following the occurrence

of a new disaster, staff will be reminded about tracking cost and submitting that cost(s)

to the EOC in the event that a declaration allowing reimbursement by federal/state

authorities becomes available. After a declaration has been approved, DEM will

schedule an Applicants’ Briefing wherein cost accounting practices and procedures for

recovery will be held, and all affected Department’s will attend. Upon submission of the

correct documentation, processing for reimbursement will occur. Any advance funding

receipt will not be released to Departments’ until the proper documentation has been

submitted to the EOC. (BP-46)

▪ The County will attempt to secure the use of facilities, equipment, supplies, services and

other resources for their support of emergency operations prior to the emergency. This

will be accomplished via memorandum of agreements or understandings, or through

pre-arranged contracts. In either case the procedures for reimbursement will be

stipulated as part of the contract/MOA/MOU with the agency in which the goods and

services will be obtained. Under cases involving mutual aid, the documentation and

procedures set forth in the Statewide Mutual Aid Contract shall prevail. (BP-46)

▪ The Department of Emergency Services, Emergency Management Division shall be

responsible for coordinating, collecting, and processing of all disaster related cost(s).

(BP-46)

▪ During periods of disasters, each municipality sends a designated representative that

has budgetary authority to encumber the City of the common good of the public. This

includes providing assistance in mutual aid under the Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement

to which each individual municipality is a current member. (BP-47)

▪ Recovery information will be provided to the public via local media resources.

Depending on the type of disaster/emergency determines who would be called for that

assistance. Normally, agencies such as the American Red Cross, and the Salvation

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Army telephone numbers would be broadcast as would the Public Information Officers’

and County Warning Point numbers. (BP-50)

▪ County Plans. The following plans provide the basis for the establishment of emergency

management operations in Bay County. These plans are:

o Bay County Comprehensive Plan 1991. Maintained by the Bay County Planning

Office.

o Bay County CEMP, Draft 1999, maintained by the Bay County Department of

Emergency Services. (BP-51)

▪ The CDES and/or their designee(s) shall be responsible for the initial safety and damage

assessment. (BP-54)

▪ The impacted Department(s)/Municipalities will coordinate all safety and damage

assessment activities with the CDES and/or their designee. (BP-54)

▪ The CDES or their designee will coordinate initial damage assessment with all impacted

Departments/Municipalities. Municipality(ies) will for purposes of damage assessment

serve the same as a County Department. (BP-55)

▪ Methods of assessing economic injury for the local jurisdiction will include a field

inspection (when required) along with a financial estimate of the damage(s). (BP-55)

▪ Each impacted Department/Municipality will document and coordinate habitability with

their individual jurisdiction(s) and will coordinate that information with the CDES and/or

their designee. County building officials will provide support to other jurisdictions as

needed. Florida licensed contractors, engineers, architects may be called upon to

assist, as the situation warrants. (BP-55)

▪ The process will be one of coordination between the CDES and/or their designee based

upon reports (public/private) and the individual Departments/Municipalities and PNP’s.

Each will coordinate their updated personnel equipment, and materials necessary to

conduct a damage assessment as soon as practical to do so. (Preferably during the

pre-assessment disaster period. Inventories can dramatically change over short periods

and cannot be relied upon for actual quantities and as such are not specified in this plan.

Particular staff may not be available, equipment may be no longer useful/damaged or

not required for this particular event. Materials thought to be available during planning

may be unavailable due to depletion or some other problem. (BP-56)

▪ Because fire stations are geographically positioned throughout the Country, these

facilities represent the widest possible area of coverage to benefit the public and to

coordinate disaster services from a convenient location wherever the particular disaster

impact(s) may be. (BP-59)

▪ All County/Municipal Departments have support roles to the Public Assistance program.

(BP-59)

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-25

▪ Planning for measures that will allow minimal interruption of critical government services

for basic life sustaining services such as the delivery of food, water, and access to

emergency medical services, during times when if not for the planning, these services

would be unavailable to the public at large. (BP-59)

▪ The CDES and/or their designees shall coordinate with the Purchasing and Utilities

Department Directors to develop a FEMA acceptable debris management contract

based upon best practices and procedures. (BP-62)

▪ “Special Needs Registration List” located in the EOC Communications Room. (BP-64)

▪ The CDES and/or their designee is responsible for coordinating volunteer agencies at

the local level on unmet needs. ESF 6, 11, and 15 will support the coordination of unmet

needs and establish the committee for unmet needs, if needed. (BP-65)

▪ The coordinator shall not be concerned with geographical boundaries within the county

in the distribution of meeting the needs of disaster victims. (BP-65)

▪ Bay County being a tourist town has a ready supply of emergency housing, if necessary.

If that housing is not destroyed by the disaster. If so, Bay County will move to request

portable housing in the nearest, safest location. Shelter space currently remains at a

deficit, but progress is being made to eliminate that shortfall. (BP-67)

▪ Each municipality (mayor or their designee) and the invited public will be the support

agencies responsible to coordinate hazard mitigation activities in the country for both

pre-disaster and post-disaster scenarios. (BP-69)

▪ Describe how the country will coordinate mitigation activities with its municipalities and

the state for both pre-disaster and post-disaster scenarios: See LMS, p. 6

(Governmental Coordination). (BP-69)

▪ List by local government, any inter-local agreements, memorandums of understanding,

mutual aid compacts, or other agreements that exist for other local or state government,

volunteer, professional organizations or other individuals to assist in post-disaster

mitigation activities, including the administration of substantial damage/substantial

improvement determinations under the National Flood Insurance Program: See LMS,

pg. 9/10 (Coordinating Agencies)

▪ The Public Works Section (ESF 3, 12)is responsible for the overall planning and

coordination of Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA), Debris Removal, restoration of

critical public services and facilities, repair/reconstruction of damaged transportation

routes, and demolition/stabilization of damaged structures. (ICSS-2)

▪ The Finance Section is responsible for tracking all disaster related response and

recovery costs as well as for evaluating the overall financial impact of emergencies and

disasters on local government. (ICSS-2)

▪ The Logistics Section (ESF 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 15) is responsible for providing facilities,

services, and materials to support all response and recovery operations. When needed,

the Logistics Section will establish the VOAD Group, the Transportation Group, and the

Resource Management Group. (ICSS-2)

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▪ Command will implement the use of the Executive Section when emergencies or

disasters are multi-jurisdictional and require the activation of the County E.O.C., or one

or more Municipal E.O.C. When needed, the Executive Section will establish a County

Division and a Municipal Division to coordinate requests for assistance to address any

unmet needs of local jurisdictions with the County E.O.C. (ICSS-2)

▪ Local PIO planning will be directed towards satisfying two primary demands. The first is

to satisfy the requirements of local government entities requiring PIO resources to

support response and recovery operations. The second is to coordinate both obtaining

and deploying mutual aid PIO resources required to address any unmet needs of local

government and voluntary organizations if such support is required. (ESF 14-1)

▪ Recovery information, specifically where to go and who to contact for assistance will be

disseminated as outlined above. In the event traditional methods of communications are

disrupted, information will be disseminated via comfort stations in printed format. Should

the need arise, the County will establish Citizen Information Centers at public schools

closest to impacted areas. Additionally, the County Department of Emergency Services

participates in public speaking engagements and educational seminars year round

where this information is also distributed. (ESF 14-2)

▪ Under major and catastrophic disaster conditions Bay County is responsible for

coordinating local and mutual aid communications assistance to effected local

governmental agencies and voluntary organizations. This normally is accomplished at

the local level through the implementation of the Communications Group within the

Emergency Management Branch of the County Incident Command System. (ESF 2-2)

▪ Activities within the scope of the Public Works Section include:

o Emergency clearance of debris for reconnaissance of damaged areas and

passage of emergency personnel and equipment for lifesaving, life protecting,

health and safety purposes during the immediate response phase. A copy of the

County’s debris management plan can be found on file in Room 104 of County

EOC.

o Temporary construction of emergency access routes to critical facilities including

damaged streets, roads, bridges, ports, waterways, airfields, and any other

facilities necessary for passage of rescue personnel.

o Emergency restoration of critical public services and facilities including supply of

adequate amount of potable water, temporary restoration of water supply

systems, and the provisions of water for firefighting.

o Emergency demolition or stabilization of damaged structures and facilities

designated by State or local government as immediate hazards to the public

health and safety, or as necessary to facilitate the accomplishments of life saving

operations (undertake temporary protective measures to abate immediate

hazards to the public for health and safety reasons until demolition is

accomplished).

o Technical assistance and preliminary damage assessment, including structural

inspection of structures.

o Support other incident Command Functions as outlined in the County CEMP

hereafter referred to as the Plan. (ESF 3-2)

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | B-27

▪ VOAD will coordinate voluntary efforts and donations in support of ARC and Salvation

Army effort to ensure the quick response and delivery of donated goods intended to be

utilized by all mass care agencies and disaster victims as a part of a broad program of

disaster relief, as outlined in charter provisions and the Disaster Relief Act of 1974.

VOAD also assumes primary agency responsibility to coordinate out-of-county and out-

of-state donations intended to support the mass care response of local government, and

the efforts of other voluntary agencies. (ESF 15-1)

▪ Initial response activities will focus on meeting urgent needs of mass care agencies and

disaster victims on a community wide basis. Initial recovery efforts may commence as

response activities are taking place. As recovery operations are initiated, close

coordination will be required between those local agencies responsible for response and

recovery operations, and voluntary agencies providing recovery assistance, including the

ARC and the Salvation Army. (ESF 15-1)

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-1

Appendix C

Documentation of Planning Process

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-3

PLANNING PROCESS

The fundamental component of the planning process is the Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

(PDRP) Executive Committee. The committee guides the content and direction of the plan.

The committee membership, shown in Table C-1 below, comprises city department heads,

county emergency management and economic development representatives, local non-profit

organization leaders, and military base representatives.

Table C-1 Panama City PDRP Executive Committee Membership, 2007-2008

*Acting Planning Chair

**Acting Implementation Chair

Current Member

Agency/Organization

Job Title

City Department Representatives

Allara Mills-Gutcher*

Planning and Land Use Services

Planning Manager

Jeff Brown**

City Manager’s Office

Assistant City Manager

Mike Johnson

Community Development

Director

Neil Fravel

Public Works

Director

Mike Kazunas

Public Works

City Engineer

Chief Jerry Prater

PC Fire and Rescue

Fire Chief

Wayne Stubbs

Port of Panama City

Executive Director

Charles Lewis

Port of Panama City

Deputy Director

Cpt. Robert Colbert

Police Department

Capitan

Terri Lillard

Finance

Director

Cynthia Godbey

CRA Board

Executive Director

Nancy Wengel

St. Andrews CRA/Waterfronts Partnership

Director

Ron Morgan

Utilities

Director

Bay County Representatives

Mark Bowen

Emergency Management

Director

Wayne Elmore

School Board

Facility Supervisor

Mike Jones

School Board

Safety and Security Manager

Valerie Michaels

Board of County Commissioners

Communications Specialist

Bob Majka

Bay County

Assistant County Manager

Local and Regional Organization/Stakeholders

Ted Clem

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Executive Director

Carol Roberts

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

President

John Holdnak

Gulf Coast Community College

Vice President

Jami Duschesne

United Way of Northwest Florida

Communications Director

Dianne Williams

Catholic Charities

Regional Director

Bob Pearce

American Red Cross

Executive Director

John McDanal

Gulf Power

Marketing Manager

Wes Smith

Tyndall Air Force Base

Engineering

Randy Curtis

Panama City-Bay County International Airport

Executive Director

Jeff Prater

Naval Surface Warfare Center of Panama City

Public Affairs

Marqua Brunette

Panama City

Resident

Bruce Stitt

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Director of Community Planning

Jim Crumlish

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Evacuation Clearance Planner

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The members met on five occasions throughout the planning process. The following summaries

give an overview of each meeting.

First Meeting

On 24 October 2007, the kick-off meeting of the Panama City PDRP Executive Committee was

held. At this meeting committee members were given an overview of the post-disaster

redevelopment planning process and how this pilot project would fit within the 3-Year Statewide

PDRP Initiative. Committee members were also introduced to “Hurricane Henry,” a scenario

exercise that described the types of damage that the city could expect in the aftermath of a

hurricane and given an opportunity to think about how their roles and responsibilities may

change during the short- and long-term recovery and redevelopment process. Following the

meeting, a networking lunch was planned to allow committee members the opportunity to get to

know one another and further discuss the PDRP effort.

Second Meeting

On 24 January 2008, the second meeting of the Panama City PDRP Executive Committee took

place. Committee members were provided an update on the 3-Year Statewide PDRP Initiative

and learned that at least four additional counties would be joining them as pilots for this

initiative. Marqua Brunette, a Hurricane Katrina survivor who moved to Panama City, spoke to

the group about her recovery journey that led her to her permanent relocation. The committee

was then provided with a report that gave a detailed summary of how other currently existing

city planning mechanisms relate to the PDRP. Committee members were then asked to

participate in a discussion about the current recovery framework that is in place and potential

needs that should be addressed in the future as a part of the institutional capacity assessment.

The committee then discussed the implementation plan and brainstormed ideas for public

involvement.

Third Meeting

The third meeting, held on 13 March 2008, began with a luncheon that featured guest speaker

City Councilman Brian Carriere from Gulf Port Mississippi who spoke about the long-term

redevelopment issues faced by the city following Hurricane Katrina. This presentation set the

stage for the discussion to follow on long-term goals and issues of the PDRP. Councilman

Carriere and Mayor Scott Clemmons both participated in the Executive Committee meeting

offering where committee members discussed long-term goals and issues and what these might

be for the City of Panama City.

Fourth Meeting

The fourth meeting was an all-day event held on 5 June 2008. The meeting began with a

session on economic redevelopment, focusing primarily on economic development leaders such

as the Bay County Economic Development Alliance and Chamber of Commerce. Local

business leaders also were in attendance. During this session, guest speaker Mickie Valente,

with the Florida Council of 100, provided an overview of economic redevelopment in the

post-disaster environment as well as lessons learned from her past experiences and

suggestions on goals and actions for economic redevelopment. Next, the Economic

Vulnerability Assessment was presented to the group and discussed. Finally, goals and actions

for economic redevelopment were developed by the committee for inclusion in the plan.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-5

A presentation about the Business Continuity Information Network (BCIN) was given over lunch

by Steve Luis from Florida International University. Mr. Luis gave an overview of BCIN and

discussed the possibility of using Panama City or Bay County as the pilot for future work. All

committee members as well as all the entire Chamber of Commerce membership within

Panama City were invited to attend and many community business owners were present.

Finally, the entire Panama City PDRP Executive Committee reconvened for a presentation on

the city’s vulnerability analysis with regards to disaster recovery. After the analysis was

presented, goals, issues, and actions were discussed and developed for the plan.

Fifth Meeting

The fifth and final meeting of the Panama City PDRP Executive Committee was divided into

three separate 2-hour sessions for the following working groups: 1) Land Use and Community

Development; 2) Economic Redevelopment; and 3) Infrastructure. At each of the meetings,

edits were suggested and the identified issues were prioritized using the project feedback form.

The actions developed for each Working Group also were reviewed, and suggested changes

were documented. The committee members were presented with public outreach materials,

including a Power Point presentation and flyer developed to provide an overview of the Panama

City PDRP. Members are now prepared to present this information to the public through the

meetings of different organizations.

Public Involvement

The Panama City PDRP Executive Committee recognizes that public involvement during the

planning process is important to the success of any plan, but decided that the first step was to

educate themselves on post-disaster recovery and long-term redevelopment. During the initial

planning phase supported by consultant guidance, the PDRP Executive Committee focused on

better understanding and defining what the city’s PDRP should comprise and how the plan will

function. It was decided that it would be best to first gain an understanding among the major

stakeholders before actively engaging the public. Waiting until the committee was satisfied in

their knowledge of post-disaster planning allowed members to feel confident in continuing the

ongoing planning and implementation of the plan, including a public outreach effort that was

planned during the initial planning phase.

Committee members have been given public outreach tools for the PDRP, such as presentation

materials and feedback worksheets to present to their local agencies, civic groups, and

community boards. Feedback from these outreach methods will be compiled prior to plan

adoption, and the executive committee will determine how to proceed with the plan based on

comments from local residents and business owners. Other ideas for public involvement have

been included in Section 8 for both the planning and implementation phases of this plan.

Meeting Documentation

Meeting agendas and summaries detailing meeting attendance and proceedings have been

compiled for each of the five meetings of the Executive Committee. These summaries are

included on the following pages.

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City of Panama City

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

Executive Committee Meeting

Bay County Chamber of Commerce Board Room

235 West 5th Street

Panama City, FL 32402

OCTOBER 24, 2007

10:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

ATTENDANCE

Committee

Representing

Allara Mills-Gutcher

Panama City Planning and Land Use Services

Mark Bowen

Bay County Emergency Management

Paul Runk

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Dr. John Holdnack

Gulf Coast Community College

Nancy Wengel

St. Andrews CRA/Watefronts Partnership

Cindy Godbey

Panama City CRA Board

Mike Johnson

Panama City Community Development

Dan Shaw

Bay County Administration

Jami Duschesne

United Way of NWFL

Dianne Williams

Catholic Charities

Bob Pearce

American Red Cross

Ron Morgan

Panama City Utilities

Earl Mirus

Gulf Power Electric Company

Wes Smith

Tyndall Air Force Base

Wayne Elmore

Bay County School Board

Bruce Stitt

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Jerry Prater

Panama City Fire and Rescue

Ted Clem

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Jeff Brown

Panama City-City Managers Office

Randy Curtis

Panama City-Bay County International Airport

Carol Roberts

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Terri Lillard

Panama City Finance Department

Willis Holley

City of Panama City Public Works

Austin Andrews

City of Panama City Fire Department

Mike Geralds

Bay County Builders Services and Permitting

Charles Lewis

Panama City Port Authority

Neil Fravel

Panama City Public Works

Others

Representing

Sandy Meyer

Florida Department of Community Affairs

Link Walther

CSA International, Inc.

Julie Dennis

CSA International, Inc.

Hank Erikson

CSA International, Inc.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-7

MEETING SUMMARY

▪ Gulf Power gears up for response 1 week early when hurricane advisories are posted.

The night before the storm all employees are asked to make personal arrangements for

their family and crews begin coming in from out of town. Crews are staged in safe close

areas and will start repairs as soon as possible. They first begin with major targeted

corridors and critical facilities.

▪ Gulf Power said that mitigation (i.e. replacement of wooden poles with concrete, etc.) is

not considered during the response effort. First concern is to rebuild what was originally

there and get power restored to all residents. There are annual inspections of the

infrastructure in place prior to hurricane season and if there are compromises in the

infrastructure, plans are made to replace and/or upgrade at that time. There are no

mass mitigation plans for the company.

▪ Gulf Power said that coastal underground utility systems take a bigger hit during

hurricanes—above ground utilities are much quicker to repair and cost less. It was

reported that fallen trees account for close to 80% of all power outages after a storm.

▪ The Bay County Chamber of Commerce plays a major role in communication to local

businesses in the area. When hurricane advisories are issued, they notify their

membership to get plans out. Next they deliver detailed street maps to the EOC. After a

storm, they communicate with local businesses and ask the business to notify them once

they have opened back up for business—this is then communicated to tourists,

residents, etc.

▪ It was reported that the Chamber of Commerce went above and beyond what was

expected and acted as the main line of communication between emergency

management and the local business owners.

▪ In the event that a hurricane causes damage in the downtown Panama City area, the

Chamber of Commerce would move its operations to either Clear Channel

Communications or possibly even the home of President, Carol Roberts.

▪ It was proposed to begin taking an annual inventory of vacant facilities to serve as back

up locations for local businesses who receive damage.

▪ The Economic Development Alliance (EDA) pointed out that primary private sector

employees are located in low-lying areas (including Sallie Mae Loan Corp., Berg Pipe,

Stone Container and Arizona Chemical). Three out of four of these employers are

industrial-based and couldn’t be easily moved to vacant facilities.

▪ The EDA stated that primary businesses, such as the ones listed above, are needed to

support the mom/pop’s stores. Must have residents with financial resources

(paychecks) to support other local service/retail businesses.

▪ The EDA said the biggest question is whether or not the primary industrial businesses

would chose to come back to Panama City instead of relocating to other plants and

factories around the United States.

C-8 | panama city plans integration assessment

▪ It was proposed that government cannot affect business recovery and that continuity of

operations is a private sector issue.

▪ Recovery is ten times faster when businesses are back up and running.

▪ IDEA: Bring in Primary Employers to talk about their role in economic recovery following

a disaster.

▪ The “Used Shoes v. Money on Trucks” analogy was made. It is better to give a

community money to purchase new shoes for their residents (thus supporting the local

economy) than to patch the need by bringing in used shoes.

▪ Panama City officials discussed the debris removal and burn site issues with the

previous Parker location used during Opal where residents were evacuated because of

the burning issues. The site up in the northern portions of Panama City, used during

Hurricane Dennis was also discussed. It took 2 months to clear this site, because at this

time there was only one pre-arranged contractor and they were responding to the

heavier hit places first. The city has remedied this problem by arranging three pre-event

debris removal contracts. At this time the city does not have a debris management plan,

but could be beneficial.

▪ ISSUE: Is there a process by which state-imposed environmental regulations could be

suspended in the aftermath of a disaster to allow for faster clean-up and burning?

▪ ISSUE: Must have temporary sewage permit if putting a FEMA trailer in front yard.

▪ Six months after a disaster the Regional Planning Council would become a partner in the

recovery effort and help to administer grants from the EDA. The RPC works with

communities prior to a storm event on disaster resiliency and transportation and through

the Local Emergency Planning Commission (LEPC) which is a regional commission.

▪ The RPC suggested that everyone sitting on the PDRP Executive Committee should

also be a member of the Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS) Committee.

▪ The American Red Cross pointed out that they are not set up to manage long-term

recovery. This responsibility was usually taken on by Catholic Charities and the United

Way. Catholic Charities is engaged in the long-term recovery efforts in Biloxi, MS.

Marcus Hepburn was named as the Catholic Charities representative managing

long-term recovery through Operation Homeward Bound, part of the Be Ready Alliance

(BRACE). Organizations that have the experience and knowledge step up to taking on

response and recovery. There is a need for collaboration among volunteer

organizations with a defined mission.

▪ It was suggested that we included someone from the Bay County Home Builder’s

Association on the executive committee.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-9

City of Panama City

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

Executive Committee Meeting

Bay County Chamber of Commerce Board Room

235 West 5th Street

Panama City, FL 32402

JANUARY 24, 2008

1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

ATTENDANCE:

Committee

Representing

Allara Mills-Gutcher

Panama City Planning and Land Use Services

Mark Bowen

Bay County Emergency Management

Paul Runk

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Dr. John Holdnack

Gulf Coast Community College

Nancy Wengel

St. Andrews CRA/Waterfronts Partnership

Cindy Godbey

Panama City CRA Board

Mike Johnson

Panama City Community Development

Dianne Williams

Catholic Charities

Ron Morgan

Panama City Utilities

Earl Mirus

Gulf Power Electric Company

Wes Smith

Tyndall Air Force Base

Bruce Stitt

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Jerry Prater

Panama City Fire and Rescue

Jeff Brown

Panama City-City Managers Office

Mike Geralds

Bay County Builders Services and Permitting

Neil Fravel

Panama City Public Works

Mike Landers

Mike Landers, LLC

Mike Jones

Bay County School Board

Valerie Michaels

Bay County Board of County Commissioners

Marqua Brunette

Public

Jeff Prater

Naval Services Warfare Center of Panama City

Barry Cumbie

Auburn University

Others

Representing

Sandy Meyer

Florida Department of Community Affairs

Julie Dennis

CSA International, Inc.

Hank Erikson

CSA International, Inc.

C-10 | panama city plans integration assessment

MEETING SUMMARY

Marqua Brunette, New Orleans resident who relocated to Panama City after Katrina:

▪ Relocated to PC after the city embraced her and provided her with temporary

employment. It took her 6 weeks to get back to her home in New Orleans to assess the

damage; she spoke of poor communication with regards to where to get help, city

utilities, services and electricity and weak emergency services.

▪ Look into using the Hurrevac Software to show what Panama City might look like in a

post-disaster scenario.

▪ Would have considered moving back to NO if she would have:

o Seen positive actions taking place

o Been guaranteed a job

o Heard a good message about the city—need positive communication to get people

and businesses back.

▪ Insurance nightmares: not able to get insurance on homes and therefore could not sell

the homes. Homes destroyed by Katrina that didn’t have insurance prior to the storm

were often abandoned which left it up to the city to demolish and clear.

▪ There are many different mental health issues following a catastrophic disaster.

▪ Move Back Syndrome: Once houses have been repaired or replaced, people are afraid

to move back into houses and out of FEMA trailers. Could be attributed to the fact that

they are afraid it will happen again or because it took so long to get the FEMA trailer,

they are afraid to lose it.

▪ Should designate gas stations and grocery stores out of the hazard-prone areas to have

back-up generators and be supply points for the community.

▪ To get people back, they need a place to live, work and place for their children to go

(school, daycare, etc.).

▪ Suggested getting local news stations trained by MS news stations on how to cover the

event.

▪ In the Post-Katrina aftermath without established lines of communications many were

learning about resources available by word of mouth. Signs were a big form of

communications (election-type yard signs by the roads).

▪ A lot of long-term clean up was done by the “Katrina Coalition”—a group of women who

formed a grassroots volunteer organization to clean up neighborhoods. These women

were later featured on national talk shows requesting for supplies such as garbage bags.

▪ A way to help the community is to staff businesses. Sometimes there is an

overwhelming desire to give back after a disaster and residents should be informed that

sometimes the best way to help is to get the community back to normal by reestablishing

the economy and staffing businesses.

Mike Landers, Consultant who worked in MS during the recovery efforts

▪ There is a need for advocates for local governments following a storm to help them get

through the FEMA process.

▪ A lot of required documents were lost (building diagrams and papers) and it caused

major delays in the recovery process as well as cost FEMA a lot of money.

▪ Need to know the elevations of buildings and when they were built

▪ FEMA 950 series was suggested as a good reference for policy.

▪ Need good maintenance records and documents of your code.

▪ Need to be able to show how you did business in the past (documentation) in order to

ensure that FEMA gives you the money to do it up to the same standards.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-11

▪ Need to know who has NFIP insurance and who is not covered.

▪ Mike Geralds: City of Panama City and County have an excellent CRS program. (City

Rating is 7 and County Rating is 5).

▪ A suggestion was made to mobilize workforce to do clean-up; damage assessment and

building appraisal.

▪ Mike Geralds: There are 17 vehicles prepared to do damage assessment and personnel

assigned.

▪ Need pre-arranged contracts to speed up the process: both debris removal and

homebuilding inspection. There is a shortage of estimators and structural engineers

following a disaster.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

▪ Counties can maximize the dollars coming into their community during the recovery and

redevelopment phases by going out and doing a damage assessment for themselves.

And then targeting the damaged areas for redevelopment.

▪ There is satellite imagery available that allows you to get a high resolution picture before

and after a disaster that can help with damage assessments.

▪ Very important to pre-identify projects (LMS and Capital Improvements Element) to be

able to document that the community planned to build it back better or improve it in the

near future. FEMA may then give you the money to make the improvements at that

time.

▪ Needs to be a charette-style visioning workshop to show what could be built back better.

▪ All Panama City IT data is backed up to Atlanta.

▪ The main issue with staffing the current EOC with city representatives is space limitation.

The current EOC is too small to handle all of the roles defined by the National Incident

Management System. The new facility being built in cooperation with Gulf Coast

Community College will be NIMS compliant and have more space for city

representatives. Currently the county has a liaison operation.

▪ The CEMP is due to be updated this year—PDRP could be worked into the new process

that will be established.

▪ PC Public Works is in charge of debris removal and assisting utility departments to

ensure that electrical power is restored as well as responsible for own facility repairs.

▪ The Engineering Section, which operates under Public Works is responsible for looking

at large scale damage (marinas and shorelines) as well as working with the PA program

on dredging projects to open up waterways if needed.

▪ Gulf Power is responsible for power restoration.

▪ The Assistant City Manager, Jeff Brown, is the FEMA liaison during the long-term

recovery efforts. He as well as the city manager also discuss information with the press

on an as-needed basis and works with other departments on preliminary damage

assessments.

▪ The Assistant City Manager talked about having to manage employees in an

environment where there is no office left.

▪ Panama City has a large amount of housing stock without insurance. These are the

people that if their homes are destroyed are more likely to relocate to other areas, thus

leaving the job of acquiring, demolishing and clearing the lots up to the city. This will be

included in our housing vulnerability analysis.

▪ A suggestion was made to seek a list of repetitive losses from the insurance board.

▪ If a lot is considered to be a “parcel of record” meaning that it was platted before 1981 in

the City of Panama City, one residence can still be placed on it even if it doesn’t comply

with the comprehensive plan or land development regulations.

C-12 | panama city plans integration assessment

▪ In a post-disaster scenario people who receive insurance checks are in some cases,

likely to take their checks and not come back, leaving infested, condemned homes that

must be demolished by the city.

▪ A community college in a Katrina affected Mississippi area re-opened classes one week

after the event. People were thankful because there was a need for normality.

▪ Need to be careful about the scope of this project and concentrate on the city. This

would then serve as a model to other cities and to the county. Many times these

projects get too broad in scope and can’t be accomplished.

▪ Need to include Tyndall AFB and Navy Base recovery plans. These are the top 1 and

3 employers in Bay County respectively.

▪ Tyndall AFB has a specific plan for retaining personnel and employees in the post-

disaster –they have an area specific training mission and the assumption is that they will

return and will redevelop the base to full operation using temporary housing and other

facilities provided to the through DoD.

▪ The committee came to the consensus that it was hard for them to define their roles and

responsibilities in a long-term post-disaster scenario without having the goals and issues

first.

▪ The committee agreed to hold a meeting in March to set the goals and identify the

issues specific to Panama City.

PUBLIC EDUCATION/AWARENESS

▪ Don’t focus on Katrina because half of the population in this area think that this could

never happen to Bay County.

▪ Focus on coming home, with possible slogans, “Storms happen-what’s next?”’ “Calm

After the Storm”, “Come Home”

▪ People have been watching the problems in other areas, emphasize that we are taking

lessons learned and trying to make sure we do it differently.

▪ Hugo is more akin to what could happen to Panama City and Charleston is a much

better place now---good example.

▪ Involve a pre-media campaign.

▪ Have a booth at the American Red Cross Expo—ARC just received $29.000 for

advertising

▪ Committee would like to move back the public workshop until a later date when they

would feel more prepared to promote the plan and speak on their roles. Public officials

do not want to look unprepared to the public.

▪ Possibly place it closer to hurricane season. Positive: would take advantage of hype

created at this time. Negative: focus is on preparedness and might confuse residents

when talking about long-term recovery.

▪ Hold public workshop in conjunction with other big event.

▪ GCCC offered to host the public workshop on their campus.

▪ Gulf Power often sponsors events related to disaster preparedness.

▪ The CRA has 4 advisory citizen advisory committees—they could promote the plan and

event at meetings and engage public. Need to get info to them early and in a simple

concise format.

▪ Deliberate Democracy Town Hall meeting.

▪ Designate the public workshop as a Mayor’s Initiative.

▪ Place surveys in the PC water bills.

▪ On the 28th a survey concerning the Hurricane Evacuation Studies will begin.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-13

City of Panama City

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

Executive Committee Meeting

Bay County Chamber of Commerce Board Room

235 West 5th Street

Panama City, FL 32402

MAY 13, 2008

11:30 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

MEETING ATTENDANCE

Committee

Representing

Allara Mills-Gutcher

Panama City Planning and Land Use Services

Mark Bowen

Bay County Emergency Management

Paul Runk

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Dr. John Holdnack

Gulf Coast Community College

Nancy Wengel

St. Andrews CRA/Watefronts Partnership

Cindy Godbey

Panama City CRA Board

Mike Johnson

Panama City Community Development

Dan Shaw

Bay County Administration

Jami Duschesne

United Way of NWFL

Dianne Williams

Catholic Charities

Bob Pearce

American Red Cross

Ron Morgan

Panama City Utilities

Earl Mirus

Gulf Power Electric Company

Wes Smith

Tyndall Air Force Base

Wayne Elmore

Bay County School Board

Bruce Stitt

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Jerry Prater

Panama City Fire and Rescue

Ted Clem

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Jeff Brown

Panama City-City Managers Office

Randy Curtis

Panama City-Bay County International Airport

Carol Roberts

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Terri Lillard

Panama City Finance Department

Willis Holley

City of Panama City Public Works

Austin Andrews

City of Panama City Fire Department

Mike Geralds

Bay County Builders Services and Permitting

Charles Lewis

Panama City Port Authority

Neil Fravel

Panama City Public Works

Others

Representing

Sandy Meyer

Florida Department of Community Affairs

Julie Dennis

CSA International, Inc.

C-14 | panama city plans integration assessment

MEETING SUMMARY

Councilman Brian Carierre Gulfport, MS

▪ Considers short-term recovery to be 3-6 months for Katrina

▪ Utilize creative financing mechanisms and have on hand unobligated cash for unforeseen

expenses such as:

o Day Care facility for employees because all schools and daycare facilities were

closed.

o Had to feed employees 3 meals a day because many were working around the clock

on response and recovery related issues.

▪ Normally governments suggest setting aside 15% of operating cost for disaster recovery,

but this is not enough.

▪ Shift priorities out of capital budget to finance infrastructure repair

▪ Long-term reconstruction is FEMA reimbursable

▪ Stafford Act created Community Disaster Loans. The City of Gulfport borrowed

$16.2 million. Interest is deferred for 5 years; 10 year loan with fairly low interest rate.

Currently there is a push to convert this loan into a grant program.

▪ Considers long-term recovery 6 months to years for Katrina

▪ After Katrina there was a shift in the city and growth is now going north, away from the

coastline.

▪ Post-disaster: bring in as much commercial and residential as you can.

▪ Be cautious about land speculators – do background research on companies buying up

large plots of land promising to develop in a certain way.

▪ Utilize Tax Increment Financing

▪ Intergovernmental relationships are important. In MS, local governments are very territorial

and it is easy for walls to be built around cities – try to keep the walls down

▪ Recommends designating an EM government liaison from the city to handle all networking

and communication for long-term recovery with FEMA, State and other surrounding

municipalities. This position should be fulltime and should continue during “blue skies” as

well.

▪ State and local elected officials worked very closely following Katrina to make sure that

whatever MS needed they received. They “asked for the sky” and then utilized whatever

they could get.

▪ School districts are very important – must do whatever is necessary to get them back up and

running as soon as possible. Children need a place to go while parents work.

▪ NGOs are very important. Need to know what agencies are available ahead of time in order

to coordinate.

▪ The “North Carolina Baptist Men” is a well oiled machine that had a goal of repairing or

rebuilding 600-700 homes. They exceeded this goal by 70%.

▪ Post-disaster there will be other volunteer organizations doing the same thing. Need to

coordinate with them ahead of time and put them in contact with the people that need it the

most – most likely, those without insurance.

▪ Lesson learned: The EM Plan is great but it probably never left the shelf and was out of

date the minute the storm left the state. Plan is OK to have during a tropical depression or

storm, but not catastrophic.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-15

▪ A local restaurant that may have otherwise gone out of business came in handy – the city

hired the owner to cook for all city employees.

▪ Must think for the absolute worst case scenario:

o 144 traffic signals down

o No landmarks: volunteers don’t know where they are going

o Military had to use GPS – suggestion: coordinate city map with GPS

▪ Need to look at electricity response/recovery plan

▪ Lesson Learned: Need to have pre-arranged debris removal contract – Gulfport had this, but

no one locally could be bonded and insured for the amount of damage after Katrina and

therefore had to hire an out-of-state contractor.

▪ Lesson Learned: Recovery is large-scale and you don’t want to handle this in-house

because you wouldn’t have the staff. This includes: permitting; project management; hiring

someone to oversee horizontal and vertical development; etc.

▪ Need large firms that have dealt with FEMA in the past to handle project management

▪ If you request this from FEMA, a lot of it is reimbursable

▪ Permitting jumped by 4 times after Katrina: the City Council passed a petition that waived

the permit fees for repair. If people have to pay fees they won’t rebuild.

▪ Need a government liaison to serve as a clearing house for all information and to educate

public about what’s going on: “Why isn’t this facility opened?”

▪ Need to know what you want your city to be – visioning. This needs to be updated on a

regular basis. Envision your city starting from scratch.

▪ Sometimes you have to go to the top when dealing with FEMA to get solutions. FEMA

seems to be inconsistent with their regulations. It’s a love-hate relationship.

▪ Need to think about what FEMA will do to flood elevation levels in your city. The city had to

negotiate with FEMA to come to a figure that was realistic and would allow development

along the beach again instead of the “knee-jerk” first reaction from FEMA. The City of Bay

St. Louis is still appealing the decisions made by FEMA in their area because it limits

development in a major part of the city. If you mandate a 3-4 foot chain wall you get into

higher construction costs and local restaurants won’t be able to come back.

▪ Some beach residents and businesses made the personal decision to rebuild elsewhere

(inland) due to the following reasons:

o Past experience

o Insurance

o Flood elevations would have to be built higher

▪ FEMA's decisions will determine whether or not people will rebuild along the coastline.

FEMA is not intentionally trying to depopulate cities.

▪ Need to pass an ordinance that would allow large private businesses to hire 3rd part

reviewers off of a pre-approved city list to go out and do inspections and write up reports to

speed up the redevelopment process. The city would review the reports.

C-16 | panama city plans integration assessment

PDRP Executive Committee Meeting

Post-Disaster Issues Discussion

• Communications (short-term and long-term)

o Municipality to Municipality

▪ Satellite phones

▪ Wireless

o Municipality to FEMA

▪ Joint Information Center

▪ Catholic Charities Mobile Communication Hub

o Municipality to State

o Municipality to Businesses

▪ Internet

▪ Chamber newsletter

▪ Chamber website

o Server space and backup

o Municipality to Resident

▪ Blog or website that provides information for those outside of the area

(residents and employees)

o Continuity of Operations

▪ Huckleberry Creek

• Transportation/Infrastructure

o Port of Panama City

▪ Bring in resources after a disaster

▪ Landscape may not look the same

o Fuel

▪ Underground emergency storage container

▪ Determine the Chevron Disaster Response Plan

o Schools

▪ Temporary teacher housing

▪ Portables for classrooms

▪ Open schools in order for parents to focus on opening businesses and

repairing homes.

▪ Can combine schools and may need to think about going outside of districts

▪ Mitigation for schools damaged in vulnerable areas

▪ Continue to pay teachers can help keep them from relocating

o

Public Transportation for residents who need transportation to and from temporary

housing, work and other facilities.

o

Water and Sewer

• Business/Economic Recovery

o Emergency Permitting

o Emergency Loans

o Communications (see above)

o Tourism losses

▪ Resort/Hotel Inventory

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-17

• Housing

o Temporary Housing Debate: Locate on city property vs. in front of residences

o Encourage residents to repair homes and move back to their residence by providing

adequate housing, but nothing that creates a new comfort level.

o Industrial park?

o Churches

o Christian retreats

o Perhaps make separate rules for owners vs. renters

▪ Owners maybe in front of home

▪ Renters moved to another location

o Insurance

o Permanent Mobile Homes and MH Parks

o Renters

▪ Rent increase moratorium

• Local Capacity

o Local staffing capacity

o Contractors

▪ Pre-approved Contractors for short-term recovery assistance

▪ Pre-approved contractors for long-term recovery assistance

• Managing rebuilding process

▪ State license for work

o Chain of Command—Point of Contact

o Debris Management Site

▪ County landfill?

▪ Separate out different types of debris

o Utility funds maybe exhausted or heavily impacted if no one is paying for

water/sewer.

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City of Panama City

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

Executive Committee Meeting

Marina Civic Center

8 Harrison Avenue

Panama City, FL 32401

JUNE 5, 2008

9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

ATTENDANCE

Committee

Representing

Allara Mills-Gutcher

Panama City Planning and Land Use Services

Mark Bowen

Bay County Emergency Management

Paul Runk

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Nancy Wengel

St. Andrews CRA/Watefronts Partnership

Cindy Godbey

Panama City CRA Board

Ron Morgan

Panama City Utilities

John McDanal

Gullf Power Electric Company

Bruce Stitt

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Ted Clem

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Carol Roberts

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Terri Lillard

Panama City Finance Department

Mike Geralds

Bay County Builders Services and Permitting

Charles Lewis

Panama City Port Authority

Neil Fravel

Panama City Public Works

Jeff Prater

Naval Surface Warefare Center of Panama City

Valerie Michaels

Bay county Board of County Commissioners

Jim Crumlish

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Marqua Brunette

Public

Michaela Dollar

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Leigh Berdon

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Sean McNeil

McNeill Carroll Engineering

Debi Burdshaw

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Ben Lanke

St. Joe Company

Mike Kazunas

Panama City Public Works

Bob Majka

Bay County Administrators Office

Business Community

Representing

Andre Smith

NAACP

David Lizarrlde

Coca-Cola Bottling Corp.

Cerrie DuBos

Hilton Garden Inn

John Solomon

H&R Block

Andrea Smith

Knology

Lisa Adessi

Planning Design and Communication Group

Antonio Adessi

Planning Design and Communication Group

Mike McGuire

TECO Energy

Carol Mosley

NAACP

Mike Hawley

The Associates Architects

Marilyn Shanholtzer

Candidate for City Commissioner, District I

Steve Randson

Daystar Cleaning

Joe Corbin

Adventure Bay Realty

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-19

Marjorie Moore

UF IFAS Extension Office, Bay County

James Morris

James Auto Center

Melissa Lockamy

Labor Solutions

Zane Spiltzer

Bay County Property Appraiser

Debbie Geiger

NHC Homecare

Rick Johnson

Gulf Marine, Inc.

Richard Hackmann

People’s First Community Bank

David Webster

Zel Tech Information Systems

Corey Burch

Peaden Mechanical and Air Conditioning

Broderick Grimes

Knology

Sandy Limmer

Direct Realtors of Bay County, Inc.

Bob Coston

Southern Waste Services

Jeff Delmar

CRI Technology Solutions

Emily Easley

CRI Technology Solutions

Scott Stoutamire

Comcast Spotlight

Bob Berkstresser

Oceaneering

Larche Hardee

WMBB

Laurance Richensen

WMBB

Bill Byrd

WMBB

Linda Wainwright

Oceaneering, Inc.

Lee Bragg

Bay County Council on Aging

Others

Representing

Sandy Meyer

Florida Department of Community Affairs

Julie Dennis

CSA International, Inc.

Mickie Valente

The Florida Council of 100

Steve Luis

Florida International University, BCIN

MEETING SUMMARY

Mickie Valente, Florida Council of 100

▪ Need a way to track the numbers of business failures/successes—true economic impact

▪ Pre-determined resources and roles

▪ Key have team already in place

▪ Ted Clem: What are the assignments? Who does what, not to duplicate efforts.

o Needs to be expanded

o Countywide; not just for the city

o When Ivan came through state had conference calls lead by Mickie; asked to

give an estimate of damage. Wasn’t too difficult during this time, business

damage is minimal. Numerical; quantifiable; guesstimates on economic

community. Need system for determining this number—system or equation.

Structural damages. Aren’t trained to appraise buildings. NO database of every

business in the county.

Are some communities that have occupational license; property appraiser—sources for data on

all of businesses in the county.

ESF 18: Many different organizations: FL Chamber, OTTED, CFO, etc. (AWI and Workforce FL

were key in getting data.

C-20 | panama city plans integration assessment

Business team will become ESF 18 and plug into EOC.

Need space in EOC for ESF 18.

Carol Roberts: our place to be involved and in the EOC is after the storm, not during the storm.

State will be saying to the local EOCs—we need to know what the damage is to business;

needs to be part of the numbers; looking to create a pda for businesses—a little different than

what’s available for homes.

Need early assessment in order to set up business bridge loans.

Ted: In a Cat 4 or 5; Chamber and EDA won’t have members to pay dues and they won’t be

here and won’t have jobs. Local funded—no reserves.

Mickie: need to decide who is going to lead the effort.

HUD $$ could be used for economic development.

But $$ might go to housing if they have the numbers to support it—justification for PDA for

business recovery.

Military has plans for this type of situation. Need to be thought of before landfall; 700.000 a day

losing from businesses if base staff relocates.

Ted: how do chambers in MS, survive with no membership? Mickie: had to rebuild membership;

state did have to step in and support them. FL sent volunteers to help out—mutual aid

relationships through IEDC, US Chambers.

Ted: how do we make business roles more clear in the plan.

Tell FEMA it is important for the Chamber and EDA to get up and running (GOAL).

Ted: need to figure out a way that we can survive and prosper as an organization.

Business Continuity Information Network Feedback:

▪ Pandemic Influenza application and involvement with hospitals?

▪ Property Appraiser’s Office: buy-in and will help in any way needed. Including mapping

data.

▪ Concept of operations and employment? Describes how you want to go from here.

▪ Two counties—developing SOG for ESF 18. Linkage between business community and

the government.

GOALS AND ACTIONS DEVELOPMENT

GOAL: Redevelop Economic Base in the City/County.

Actions:

▪ Develop a positive campaign aimed at business owners in the community

focusing on redevelopment and assistance that can be implemented following a

disaster.

▪ Provide assistance to local businesses.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-21

GOAL: Ensure that the EDA and Chamber of Commerce are up and running as soon as

possible.

Actions:

▪ Determine where the organizations would relocate following a disaster (multiple

locations): office at the airport; Clear Channel Radio, using their facility (meets

communication needs); Gulf Coast Community College.

▪ Work with SBA to further develop the business recovery center plan (location,

personnel) for Bay County.

▪ Secure emergency funding to implement economic recovery/redevelopment plan.

▪ Establishing EDA and Chamber of Commerce as the lead in economic

redevelopment by gaining support from elected officials and community leaders.

▪ Explore the idea of developing a business recovery center that becomes a “one

stop shop” for business recovery (permitting, SBA, Chamber, EDA, etc.).

GOAL: Ensure that the Panama City Port is up and running as soon as possible.

Actions:

▪ Further develop the Panama City Port Redevelopment Plan.

o Dredge and clear channel – have contracts in place prior

o Enlarge and rebuild without normal red tape

o Talk to Chevron about downtown holding tanks vulnerability and plan for

recovery

GOAL: Streamline the redevelopment process following a disaster by taking away disincentives

to redevelop RC and the Salvation Army (ESF 15-1).

C-22 | panama city plans integration assessment

City of Panama City

Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan

Executive Committee Meeting

Panama City—City Hall

9 Harrison Avenue

Panama City, FL 32401

SEPTEMBER 3, 2008

9:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

ATTENDANCE:

Committee:

Representing:

Allara Mills-Gutcher

Panama City Planning and Land Use Services

Mike Johnson

Panama City Community Development

Mike Kazunas

Panama City Public Works

Ron Morgan

Panama City Utilities

Ted Clems

Bay County Economic Development Alliance

Carol Roberts

Bay County Chamber of Commerce

Terri Lillard

Panama City Finance Department

Charles Lewis

Panama City Port Authority

Neil Fravel

Panama City Public Works

Jim Crumlish

West Florida Regional Planning Council

Others:

Sandy Meyer

Florida Department of Community Affairs

Julie Dennis

CSA International, Inc.

MEETING SUMMARY

▪ Page 9-9: Action has a missing designee. The appropriate designee is the City

Manager’s Office.

▪ There are some Major Employers missing from the list, including Arizona Chemical, Big

Bend Community Services, State Agencies, Anchorage Children’s Home, Workforce

Center, Department of Environmental Protection, Highway Safety, Dept. Health,

Revenue and Juvenile Justice. CSA to ask Chamber of Commerce and EDA.

▪ Jim Crumlish mentioned the Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD) -

template in Santa Rosa County. Public-Private Partnership organization.

▪ Prioritization of issues: It was hard for the committee to decide which issue is more

important.

▪ Port of Panama City, Oceaneering and Berg Pipe – not mentioned in action items of

retention of major employers.

▪ Explore the streamlining of permitting for the repair of the Port of Panama City.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-23

▪ There was discussion about whether or not the Port of Panama City can repair

bulkheads to the condition they were prior to the storm.

▪ Conduct a study to determine the economic impact of the loss of the Port of Panama

City.

▪ Examine policies and actions in PDRP to determine if any of them could be adopted into

the City Comprehensive Plan.

▪ Can only do so much as time permits – Look at the actions in the plan and organize

them in phases for completion.

▪ Finance Section: Need to make the reserve policies more specific in the future.

▪ City retains a firm for grant writing, however they are being phased out. No in-house

grant writer. Need for incorporation of this into a position or pre-determine who would be

responsible for this task.

▪ Create a funding matrix that matches resources with identified needs.

▪ Determine which property owners living within vulnerable areas in the city do not have

insurance and target these neighborhoods for buyouts, acquisition projects, and

visioning for redevelopment.

▪ Questions:

o There are homeowners that could not rebuild due to current zoning – how do you

address this?

o DCF has a mechanism in place for dispersing resources and has an elderly and

disabled database – can we incorporate that into the plan?

o Should this plan address the homeless population? Bay County Homeless and

Hunger Coalition of NWFL.

▪ Add Bay County Builder’s Services to the licensed contractors list action.

▪ Port is an industrial complex with about 1,100 employees.

▪ The Chamber and EDA roles and responsibilities contingent on providing the services

countywide. Could be criticized for providing this level of service to just one city alone.

▪ Bay Chamber and PCB Chamber would join forces in the countywide PDRP.

▪ Develop a mutual aid agreement between EDA and local governments that defines their

role in the implementation of the Economic Redevelopment Actions in the pre and

post-disaster environment.

▪ Work with the county to establish an Emergency Support Function 18, concerning

business recovery and economic redevelopment with the EDA and Chamber as the

lead.

C-24 | panama city plans integration assessment

▪ Clarify with county emergency management that the Chamber/EDA would function as

the lead on ESF 18 in coordination with business recover centers.

▪ Create a post-disaster action to establish Business Disaster Recovery Centers.

▪ Explore grant opportunities to assist the EDA and Chamber with the recovery of their

organizations in the post-disaster environment.

▪ Host meeting to discuss business disaster recovery and redevelopment with other all

other Economic Development Organizations in Northwest Florida through “Florida’s

Great Northwest,” coordinated by the WFRPC.

▪ Need an interlocal agreement with county and all cities before taking on countywide

planning process.

▪ Need centralized command at countywide level.

▪ Back-up City Hall in the Huckleberry Creek development in north Panama City that

would have duplicate functions and could be used if the downtown City Hall received

damage

▪ Discussed the hardening of the old library building that will be used for city offices.

▪ Conduct a study to determine the public opinion of the redevelopment of City Hall

complex and civic center in its current location.

▪ Infrastructure and public facilities include Utilities Director in the involved committee

members.

▪ Explore additional debris management sites to handle capacity of larger storms.

▪ Explore interlocal agreement with the county for debris removal.

▪ Explore using hazard mitigation funds to relocate fuel holding tanks further inland (up to

the Bay Line property at Industrial Drive and Hwy 231) with pipelines.

▪ Replace downed power line poles with storm-proof concrete poles.

▪ Develop project ideas for the flood proofing of control panels and lift stations.

▪ FLAWARN – an association of municipal utilities group to assist post-disaster could be

brought into this effort.

▪ Discussed possible ditch maintenance problems.

▪ Infrastructure repair will be a community-by-community issue. There is a need for

coordination with county, but this is not a county responsibility.

▪ In the countywide plan, there needs to be a committee made up of representatives from

all cities and the county regarding infrastructure repair; some things will be done on a

community-by-community basis, whereas others will be coordinated.

THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | C-25

▪ Florida Department of Transportation, which also owns roads in Panama City and would

be responsible for their own infrastructure repair, should be a part of this

committee/Working Group.

▪ Develop tabletop exercises to local recovery and redevelopment plans.

▪ Confirm existence of mutual-aid agreement with the City of Naples, the City of Port

Orange, etc.

C-26 | panama city plans integration assessment

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | D-1

Appendix D

Mutual Aid Agreement

D-2 | panama city plans integration assessment

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | D-3

Appendix D

Mutual Aid Agreement

To be included at a later date.

D-4 | panama city plans integration assessment

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | E-I

Appendix E

Debris Management Contracts and Sites

E-2 | panama city plans integration assessment

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | E-3

Pre-Arranged Debris Removal Contracts

The following three contracts have been pre-arranged by Panama City to streamline the debris removal

process following a disaster: Omni Pinnacle, LLC, BAMACO, Inc., and Crowder Gulf, Inc. The term of all

three contracts is for a period of time beginning from the acceptance and signature of both parties and

ending on 31 May 2008. Unless written notice is given by either party to this contract 150 days prior to

the end date of the contract period, the contracts will automatically renew for an additional period of

12 months. Optional renewals will not exceed four 12-month periods.

E-22 | panama city plans integration assessment

Pre-Determined Debris Management Sites

The following map of the Panama City Port Authority Intermodal Park shows the pre-determined debris

management sites for the City of Panama City. The primary debris management and burn site is

highlighted orange, yellow, and blue on the west end of the map. The other four darkened circles that are

tagged with yellow labels could be used as alternate sites, should the primary site not be available.

Intermodal Distribution Center

I:\Projects\Port_RMC\MXD\Final USACE\FinalMitigationArea090106_ArchD.mxd

®

1 inch equals 500 feet

Maps Produced by:

Correctional

Facility

Bay County

Incinerator

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Feet

Mitigation Area

Legend

Wetland Mitigation Area

Upland Mitigation Area

Wetland Impact Boundary

Project Boundary

Property Boundary

kj

Utility Easement Section

kj

kj

September 1, 2006

UPLAND AREA 24.9 AC

UPLAND AREA 17.6 AC

UPLAND AREA 33.2 AC

UPLAND AREA 41.9 AC

UPLAND OUTSIDE OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT TOTAL = 117.6 AC

NOTE:

EXCLUDES THE 100FT WIDE ROADWAY/UTILITY EASEMENT THRU THE

MITIGATION AREA.

E-24 | panama city plans integration assessment

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | F-1

Appendix F

Temporary Housing and Debris Management Plan Examples

F-2 | panama city plans integration assessment

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THE PANAMA CITY POST-DISASTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN | F-3

Appendix F

Temporary Housing and Debris Management Plan Examples

To be provided by DCA to the City of Panama City at a later date.

F-4 | panama city plans integration assessment

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