Loading...
Item O07 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDAITEMS~Y Meeting Date: 1/19/05 - KW TIME CERTAIN: 1:45 P.M. Division: Mayor Pro Tern McCoy Bulk Item: Yes _No.1L Department: BOCC-3 AGENDA ITEM WORDING: Resolution supporting implementation of a staged hurricane evacuation process in Monroe County. ITEM BACKGROUND: Pursuant to the recommendation of the Florida Keys Hurricane Evacuation Working Group which has been meeting for the past five months to address the safe evacuation of residents and tourists of the Florida Keys. PREVIOUS RELEVANT BOCC ACTION: CONTRACT/AGREEMENT CHANGES: STAFF RECOMMENDATION: TOTAL COST: N/A BUDGETED: Yes No COST TO COUNTY: N/A REVENUE PRODUCING: yes _ No ..1L AMOUNT PER MONTH_ YEAR_ Mayor Pr APPROVED BY: County Attorney _ OMB/Purchasin DIVISION DIRECTOR APPROVAL: DOCUMENTATION: Included:~ To Follow: DISPOSITION: AGENDA ITEM# 0- 1 Revised 2/27/01 RE~OLUTIQN NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY FLORIDA SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION OF A STAGED HURRICANE EVACUATION PROCESS IN MONROE COUNTY; FL. WHEREAS. the local governments in the Florida Keys have adopted a hurricane evacuation clearance time of 24 hours; and WHEREAS, the hurricane evacuation clearance time is estimated using the Florida Keys Hurricane Evacuation Clearance Model; and WHEREAS. the most recent information indicates that the estimated clearance time is approximately 24 hours; and WHEREAS. ensuring the ability to safely evacuate residents and tourists of the Florida Keys is a primary safety concern; and WHEREAS. the Florida Keys Hunicane Evacuation Working Group has been meeting for the past five months to address this issue; and WHEREAS. the Working Group has proposed the local governments in the Florida Keys agree to the concept of a "staged evacuation process" ~ and WHEREAS. a staged evacuation process will allow for a safer evacuation of the Florida Keys by requiring tourist, non-residents. and other categories of evacuees complete their evacuations prior to the inception of the evacuation of residents; and WHEREAS. there are categories of citizens that may be traumatized by evacuating from the Lower Keys so that long term planning should begin to provide for shehering of those in the Lower Keys beginning in Key West; and WHEREAS, the staged evacuation process will result in a reduced time period for the evacuation of the residents of the Florida Keys; and WHEREAS, this concept is summarized on the attached one page document; NOW. THEREFORE. BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Flori~ that: 1). The Monroe County Board ot County Commissioners agrees with the concept contained herein. 2). The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners agrees to adopt this concept into their comprehensive plan. 3). The County Commission highly recommends that upon adoption into the comprehensive plan, the Department of Community Affairs should fiwtor this new approach into the Hurricane Evacuation Clearance Model PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board ofCoumy Commismoners of Monroe County, Florida. at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 19tb day of January, 2005. (SEAL) Attest DANNY L. KOI..HAGE, CLERK BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS By: Deputy Clerk Monroe County, Florida By: MAYOR Monroe County, Florida MONROE COUNTY ATTORNEY ~;;:~ ~ ZANNE A. ON Date ASSISTANT l~U~ ~~pY / ALTERNATIVE #3 FOR REDUCING EVACUATION TIME STAGED I PHASED EVACUATION DESCRIPTION: The Staged / Phased Evacuation alternative specifies that for a major hurricane (Category 3-5), a mandatory evacuation of non-residents, visitors, and recreational vehicles (RVs) from the Keys approximately 48-hours in advance of tropical storm force winds would be required. The critical concept is that non-residents would leave the Keys before the evacuation of residents has begun. This alternative also includes the closing of state parks, campgrounds, boat live-aboards, and evacuation of military personnel. Entry into the Florida Keys by non-residential personnel should also be strictly limited. Additionally, this alternative includes the evacuation of mobile home residents, special needs residents, and hospital and nursing home patients within 36-hours of the onset of tropical storm force winds. A mandatory phased evacuation of permanent residents, by evacuation zone, would also be initiated approximately 30-hours in advance of tropical storm force winds. Existing evacuation zones are as follows: . Zone 1 - Key West, Stock Island and Key Haven to Boca Chica Bridge (MM 1-6) . Zone 2 - Boca Chica Bridge to west end of7-Mile Bridge (MM 6-40) . Zone 3 - West end of7-Mile Bridge to west end of Long Boat Key Bridge (MM 40-63) . Zone 4 - West end of Long Boat Key Bridge to CR905 and CR905A intersection (MM 63-106.5) . Zone 5 - CR 905A to, and including Ocean Reef(MM 106.5 -126.5) BENEFITS: The primary benefit associated with this alternative is the reduction of background traffic during a mandatory evacuation of Keys residents. This reduction in traffic would in turn reduce the estimated evacuation clearance times for residents by approximately three and a half hours if an early evacuation of tourists is implemented, and 6-hours for early evacuation of tourists and mobile homes. The reduction of clearance times for phased evacuation of residents could not be determined due to limited capability in modifying model response curves. ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION: The implementation of this alternative requires the cooperation and support of various agencies within the Keys, particularly the Tourist Development Council, business community (rental managers and realtors), and the military. The Board of County Commissioners and jurisdictions must also adopt a policy to fully support and implement the early evacuation of tourists, RVs, and mobile homes. However, a risk is associated with the early evacuation of tourist, in that, if the storm changes direction, forward speed, and intensity or completely misses the Florida Keys, local businesses may suffer business damages needlessly. Additionally, if clearance time is defmed as "... beginning when the first evacuating vehicle in Monroe County enters the roadway network and ending when the last evacuating vehicle exits, or passes by the northbound entrance to the Florida's Turnpike on US 1 in Florida City," then advanced clearance times of 48-hours, 36-hours, and 30-hours would require a clarification of clearance time for policy purposes. IMPLEMENTATION TIME FRAME: This alternative could be implemented before the next hurricane season.