Slide 1

Charles County Climate

Resilience Action Strategy

July 21, 2020

Presenter

Beth A. Groth, Planner III

Slide 2

Local Resilience Financing Initiative

• The Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland

(UMD) launched initiative in 2019.

• Supported by a grant from the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program

Office and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

• Collaborative effort with the University of Maryland and with Anne

Arundel and Queen Anne’s Counties to develop, implement and

finance resilience plans.

Slide 3

What is Climate Resiliency?

• The ability to prepare for, recover from, and adapt

to climate change impacts.

• The capacity of a system to maintain essential

functions before, during and after a hazard strikes.

Slide 4

Development of a Climate

Resilience Action Strategy

Waldorf Ford on July 8, 2019

Photo Credit: Mark Webb

Slide 5

Resilience Work Group

• Beth Groth, Planner III, Planning & Growth Management (Chair)

• Alicia Afroilan, Engineer IV, Planning & Growth Management

• Steve Andritz, Director of Planning & Construction, Board of Education

• Buddy Bowling, Outreach Coordinator, Natural Resources Conservation Service

• Michelle Lilly, Director, Emergency Services

• Don Litten, Building Code Official, Planning & Growth Management

• Stephanie Lowery, Environmental Compliance Officer, Public Works/Facilities

• Suzan Lowry, Health Officer, Health Department

• Sam Walter, Engineer III, Public Works/Utilities

• Alex Waltz, Planner II, Planning & Growth Management

Slide 6

Assess Risk & Climate Impacts

• Identification of Top Climate Hazards

• Extreme Weather (Rain, Severe Thunderstorms,

Tornadoes, etc.)

• Extreme Temperatures (heat waves)

• Urban and Coastal (Nuisance) Flooding

• Sea Level Rise

Slide 7

Identification of County Assets

• Key Institutions, Facilities, and Infrastructure

• Critical Operations Facilities (Government Building, Cooling Centers)

• Critical Utility Infrastructure (Government, SMECO, etc.)

• Roads and Associated Stormwater Management Facilities

• Water and Sewer Infrastructure (Water Supply, Wastewater,

Reclaimed Water)

• Energy Infrastructure (Power Plants)

• Naval Bases

• Radio and Cell Towers

Slide 8

Identification of County Assets

• Social and Cultural Assets

• Healthcare

• Education System

• Vulnerable Populations

• Historic and Cultural Resources

Slide 9

Identification of County Assets

• Environmental and Natural Features

• Natural and Water Resources

• Potomac River, Wicomico River, etc.

• Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary

• Forests

• Marshes

Shoreline Communities

Green Spaces (Parks, Trails, Waterfront, Fairgrounds, etc.)

Slide 10

Goals for the Resilience Plan

• Enhance the ability to recover from hazards by preserving

natural resources, improving infrastructure’s ability to

sustain functionality, diversifying the County’s employer

mix, and concentrating residential and business growth in

the Development District;

• Ensure equitable input from, and outcomes for, a rapidly

growing and increasingly diverse population (race, income,

age, etc.); and

• Maintain and improve access to key destinations, facilities,

and services for people of all ages, abilities, and

transportation modes.

Slide 11

Identify and Prioritize Action Strategies

• Example:

• Roads and Associated Stormwater Management Facilities

• Goal: Maintain operation of County-owned roadways susceptible to sea

level rise or flooding.

• Strategy: Fortify vulnerable roadways by raising roadways, improving

drainage/stormwater management in flood-prone areas.

• Possible Actions:

• Identify sea level rise and flood prone roads

• Develop priority list for road mitigation

• Develop priority list for stormwater management improvements.

• Construct improvements beginning with the highest priority.

Slide 12

Next Steps

• Gain Feedback on the DRAFT Climate Resilience Action

Strategy from stakeholders and the public

• Phase 2: Develop a Climate Resilience Finance Strategy

• Investigate the potential for a Resilience Authority

• Phase 3: Formally launch the implementation and financing

processes

• Office of Economic Adjustment Military Installation

Resilience Grant for Naval Support Facility Indian Head

Slide 13

Resilience Authority

• Senate Bill 457 passed in May

• Allows communities to establish resilience authorities to

finance resilience infrastructure that mitigates the effects

of climate change.

• Resilience infrastructure

• Flood barriers

• Green spaces

• Building elevation

• Stormwater Infrastructure

Slide 14

Recommendations for Concurrence

1. Hold a subsequent County Commissioner briefing and

public hearing on the DRAFT Climate Resilience Action

Strategy after appropriate outreach with stakeholders and

the public has taken place.

2. As part of Phase 2, work with the University of Maryland to

investigate the possibility for a Resilience Authority.

Slide 15

Presented By:

Charles County Government

Planning & Growth Management

Department301-645-0692• PGMAdmin@CharlesCountyMD.gov

200 Baltimore St.

La Plata, MD 20646

MD Relay Service: 7-1-1

Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of Charles County to provide equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of race,

color, sex, age, national origin, religious or political affiliation or opinion, disability, marital status, sexual

orientation, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other status protected by law.

www.CharlesCountyMD.gov