Canyon City Addendum 2017

110 Pages·2017·33.11 MB·English

2017 Canyon City Addendum
To the Northeast Oregon Regional Natural
Hazards Mitigation Plan
Prepared by:
Winterbrook Planning
310 SW Fourth Ave. Suite 1100
Portland, OR 97204
In partnership with:
Grant County Economic Development
530 E Main Suite 4
John Day, OR 97845
Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development
635 Capitol St NE #150
Salem, OR 97301
Table of Contents
Canyon City Addendum..............................................................................................................4
Purpose....................................................................................................................................4
How was the NHMP Developed? ...........................................................................................4
Canyon City Addendum .........................................................................................................5
How will the Plan be Implemented?........................................................................................6
Plan Maintenance.....................................................................................................................7
Continued Public Participation ...............................................................................................8
Canyon City
Community Profile
Asset Identification......................................................................................................................9
Introduction to Canyon City....................................................................................................9
Grant County Natural Environment and Land Use Capacity................................................10
Demographics........................................................................................................................14
Grant County Economic Capacity.........................................................................................19
Grant County Social Capacity...............................................................................................22
Hazard Analysis and Issue Identification .................................................................................30
Drought .............................................................................................................................31
Dust Storm.........................................................................................................................32
Earthquake.........................................................................................................................32
Extreme Temperatures.......................................................................................................33
Flood .................................................................................................................................33
Landslide ...........................................................................................................................35
Volcanic Event ..................................................................................................................37
Wildfire .............................................................................................................................38
Windstorm..........................................................................................................................39
Winter Storm......................................................................................................................40
Sinkholes............................................................................................................................40
Summary............................................................................................................................42
Mitigation
Strategy......................................................................................................................................44
Mitigation Plan Mission........................................................................................................44
Mitigation Plan Goals............................................................................................................44
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Mitigation Actions.................................................................................................................44
Action Item Worksheets.....................................................................................................48
Appendix A:
Action Item Forms.....................................................................................................................50
Appendix B:
Public Process Summary...........................................................................................................94
Technical Advisory Steering Committee (TASC).................................................................94
Public Comments ................................................................................................................101
FEMA “Approval Pending Adoption”................................................................................103
Appendix C:
Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool........................................................................................103
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Canyon City Addendum
Purpose
This Town of Canyon City Addendum (Addendum) serves as an annex to the Northeast
Oregon Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHMP) added in June 2017.
During the summer of 2015 Canyon City suffered losses from the Canyon Creek Wildfire and
could suffer additional losses caused by erosion of ash and loosened soils, exacerbating
flooding and increasing the probability of landslides. The fire also damaged the Town’s water
and electrical infrastructure, necessitating repair or replacement and possibly relocation.
This addendum will help facilitate collaboration among public agencies, private sector
organizations, and citizens within Canyon City to both reduce exposure to these and other
natural hazards and protect citizens, critical facilities, infrastructure, private property and
environment from the impacts of natural hazards.
By developing a FEMA-approved natural hazards mitigation plan, the Town of
Canyon City will be able to apply for federal pre- and post-disaster funding for
projects to mitigate potential disasters. The Town’s addendum is part of the region’s
multi-jurisdictional plan, and meets following requirements for §201.6.
A description of the Town’s specific planning and adoption process follows, along
with detailed community specific action items. Information about the Town’s risk
relative to the County’s risk to natural hazards is documented in the addendum’s
Hazard Analysis section.
How was the NHMP Developed?
The NHMP was formally adopted by Grant County on April 23, 2008 and approved by
FEMA on May 23, 2008. To maintain its compliance with the Disaster Mitigation Act
of 2000 (DMA2K), the plan required a five-year update. The Canyon City Addendum
will also need to be updated every five years in order to maintain compliance with
DMA2K.
In fall 2012, Grant County initiated the update process in order to take advantage of
grant funding and technical support available through the Oregon Partnership for
Disaster Resilience at the University of Oregon’s Community Service Center.
Updating the mitigation plan is a requirement for maintaining eligibility for the
Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation and Hazard
Mitigation Grant Programs. By updating the plan and having it re-approved by FEMA,
Northeast Oregon maintains its eligibility for FEMA Hazard Mitigation, Pre-Disaster
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Mitigation and Flood Mitigation Assistance grant program funds. The 2014 update
was funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) FY12
Pre-Disaster Mitigation Competitive Grant Program (PDMC – PL-10-OR-2012-002).
The NHMP was updated and reapproved by FEMA Region X on June 5, 2014. The
plan is effective through June 4, 2019.
The NHMP resulted from a collaborative effort among citizens, public agencies, non-
profit organizations, the private sector and regional organizations. Several project
steering committees guided the process of developing the plan. For more information
on the composition of the steering committees see the Acknowledgements and
Executive Summary section.
The Grant County Judge was designated as the plan’s convener (for portions relevant
to Grant County) and will take the lead in implementing, maintaining and updating the
plan. Public participation played a key role in the development of goals and action
items. Public participation was achieved with the establishment of the Northeast
Oregon Natural Hazards Mitigation Steering Committees, which were comprised of
community members representing different organizations and sectors in Northeast
Oregon. The steering committees were closely involved throughout the development
of the plan and served as local oversight bodies for the plan’s development. In
addition, community members outside of the steering committee were involved in the
planning and review process (see Northeast Oregon NHMP Appendix B, Planning
Process for more information).
Canyon City Addendum
Development of Canyon City’s Addendum was funded through a Technical Assistance
Grant from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development.
Grant County Department of Economic Development lent capacity to the Town of
Canyon City and, on its behalf, accepted a grant from the Oregon Department of Land
Conservation and Development to create the Canyon City Addendum to the Northeast
Regional NHMP. Grant County took on the roles of Coordinator and Convener, and
subcontracted with Winterbrook Planning to lead the planning process and develop the
content for the Addendum. In November 2016, representatives from Canyon City
formed the Technical Advisory Steering Committee (TASC) to begin work on the
Addendum. The TASC first met on December 1, 2016. During this meeting, the
TASC reviewed a preliminary draft of the Canyon City Community Profile; identified
the natural hazards affecting Canyon City; and completed the Hazards, Vulnerabilities
and Risk Assessment (HVRA). On December 16, 2016 the first draft of the
Addendum was made available for public comment.
Grant County’s Department of Economic Development posted a draft of the
Addendum on its Facebook page, a well-known and widely used source of information
for the local communities; made hard copies available at its office; and submitted it to
the Canyon City Council for review at its December 1, 2016 meeting. On January 5,
2017; the TASC met a second time to review comments received; formulate and
prioritize mitigation action items that respond to the results of the risk assessment; and
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review a final draft of the Addendum. The final draft including mitigation actions was
posted to the Department of Economic Development’s website and Facebook page on
January 24, 2017. Hard Copies were also available at the Department’s office in John
Day.
How will the Plan be Implemented?
Canyon City will implement the Addendum’s recommended actions through existing
plans and policies that already have support from local residents, businesses, and
policy makers. The NHMP’s recommendations are consistent with the goals and
objectives of the Town’s existing plans and policies. Many land-use, comprehensive,
and strategic plans get updated regularly, allowing them to adapt to changing
conditions and needs.1 Implementing the NHMP’s action items through such plans and
policies increases their likelihood of being supported and implemented.
Canyon City currently has the following plans that relate to natural hazard mitigation:
 The Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Canyon City, Oregon (1999) addresses
natural hazards in Part VI. The Plan establishes the goal that development within
the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) takes place with maximum protection for life
and property from natural hazards and disasters, summarizes the inventory of the
known and identified natural hazards within the UGB and includes five policies
that guide planning of development in natural hazard areas. The Comprehensive
Land Use Plan also includes the Economic Development Plan (Part VIII), the
Housing Plan (Part IX), the Public Facilities Plan (Part X), and the Transportation
Plan (Part XI).2
 Article 3 of the Town of Canyon City Zoning Ordinance contains two sections
intended to protect life and property from the impact of natural hazards. Section
3.050 creates a Natural Hazards Combining Zone which regulates development in
areas of surface water accumulations, high groundwater, unstable or fragile soils,
geological hazards, and steep slopes. Section 3.060 regulates development in areas
identified on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).
The City Council will be responsible for adopting the Canyon City Addendum
following receipt of an “Approvable Pending Adoption” (APA) letter from FEMA
Region X. City Council will consider an amendment to Part VI of the Canyon City
Comprehensive Plan to incorporate the NHMP with the Addendum by reference at
their meeting on June 20, 2017. Canyon City may update its Comprehensive Plan in
2017 and through that process would develop more specific policies that implement
the Addendum’s recommendations. Because the Addendum is part of the Regional
NHMP, the Town will look for opportunities to partner with the region (in particular
Grant County and John Day).
1 Canyon City anticipates updating its Comprehensive Plan in 2017.
2 Comprehensive Plan for Canyon City Oregon. Part VI: Natural Hazards.
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Plan Maintenance
The Town’s Technical Advisory Steering Committee (TASC) will convene semi-
annually to discuss implementation and plan maintenance. The Grant County
Emergency Services Director will be the convener of these meetings and will also
remain active in the County’s planning process. These meetings will be open to the
public and community members will be invited to attend these meetings to provide
input on the plan directly to the TASC. The public will be informed of these meetings
with announcements in local print media, radio, and online. The TASC and the
community’s leadership have the option to add, delete, revise, or implement action
items at any time during the life of the Plan. This allows the TASC to consider
mitigation strategies as new opportunities arise, such as funding for action items that
may not be of the highest priority. When new actions are identified, they should be
documented using the action item form. Once a proposed action form has been
submitted to the convener, the TASC may add the action to the Addendum.
The NHMP will be updated every five years to continue to improve and enhance
public safety and the City’s resilience to natural hazards and to maintain eligibility for
FEMA hazard mitigation grants. During the regions’ plan update process, Canyon City
will also review and update this Addendum. The Grant County Emergency Services
Director will be responsible for convening the TASC to address the questions outlined
below.
 Are there new partners that should be brought to the table?
 Are there new local, regional, state, or federal policies influencing natural hazards
that should be addressed?
 Has the community successfully implemented any mitigation activities since the
plan was last updated?
 Have new issues or problems related to hazards been identified in the community?
 Are the actions still appropriate given current resources?
 Have there been any changes in development patterns that could influence the
effects of hazards?
 Have there been any significant changes in the community’s demographics that
could influence the effects of hazards?
 Are there new studies or data available that would enhance the risk assessment?
 Has the community been affected by any disasters? Did the plan accurately address
the impacts of this event?
These questions will help the TASC determine what components of the mitigation
plan need updating. The TASC will be responsible for updating any deficiencies found
in the plan.
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Continued Public Participation
Keeping the public informed of the Town’s efforts to reduce the risk to future natural
hazards events is important for successful plan implementation and maintenance. The
Town is committed to involving the public in the plan review and updating process. To
ensure that the public has every opportunity to participate in implementing,
maintaining and updating the Addendum, Grant County Emergency management in
cooperation with the Town of Canyon City and the Grant County Economic
Development Department will:
 Post copies of the Addendum will be posted on the Grant County Department of
Economic Development’s website (http://www.gcoregonlive2.com/svc_display.php?
id=528) so that the public may view the plan and submit electronic comments to
Town officials at any time.
 Place articles in the Blue Mountain Eagle informing the public of TASC meetings
including how they may contact the committee and provide feedback on the plan.
 Consider partnering with the Whisky Gulch Gang to host an information booth at the
annual ’62 Days Celebration where the public can learn about and provide feedback
on the Plan.
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Canyon City
Community Profile
Asset Identification
This section provides specific information on Canyon City’s community assets. These
assets characterize the community and can affect how natural hazards impact the
Town and how the Town chooses to plan for natural hazard mitigation. Considering
the Town-specific assets during the planning process can assist in identifying
appropriate measures for natural hazard mitigation.
Introduction to Canyon City
The Town of Canyon City is located near the center of Grant County which lies in
Northeast Oregon. Grant County is bordered by eight other counties. It is 4,528
square miles in size, making it over 1,000 square miles larger than any other county in
the northeast region. As of the 2010 US Census, Grant County had a population of
approximately 7,445 with just over 1.6 people per square mile. See also Table CC-6.
Canyon City (pop. 703) is the third largest city in Grant County and in 1891 it was
incorporated as the seat of County government. It sits at an elevation of 3194 feet
along the banks of Canyon Creek which cuts through the Deschutes-Umatilla lava
plateaus. The majority of the Town has developed along the valley floor with some
development migrating up the surrounding hillsides and the top of the plateau.3
Canyon City was first settled in June 1862 when miners from Northern California
discovered gold on Whiskey Flat half a mile south of downtown. More than $26
million in gold was taken from Canyon Creek and nearby mountains during the Gold
Rush between 1862 and 1880. The population of Canyon City swelled to 2500 during
this period and boasted numerous saloons, shops, blacksmiths, liveries, a red-light
district and a Chinese District. From 1870 to 1937 fires and floods destroyed much of
the early town including the first courthouse but many historic sites remain. One of the
earliest churches, St. Thomas Episcopal (built in 1876) still stands near the center of
town, as does the old Sels Brewery which operated until the late 1800s.4
Canyon City shares a border with John Day and their town centers are only two miles
apart. Their small populations and close proximity means that many critical facilities
such as the Grant County School District, Blue Mountain Hospital, the Grant County
Regional airport, and the John Day Rural Fire District serve both communities.
Canyon City does not have its own police department and relies on agreements with
the Grant County Sheriff and John Day Police Department for law enforcement.
Grant County Government offices and the Grant County School District are the top
employers for Canyon City. Private sector employment is limited in comparison to
3 Canyon City Comprehensive Plan, section 4: “General Description and Geographic Location”
4 Grant County Economic Development Department
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these large public sector employers (see “Grant County Economic Capacity” section).
It is common for Grant County employees to commute in from the surrounding towns
of John Day, Prairie City, Dayville, Mt. Vernon and other areas of Grant County. It is
also common for Canyon City residents to work for employers in John Day and
surrounding towns. The result is that the economic, civic, and social life of Canyon
City residents and workers is closely tied to Grant County.5
Table CC-2: Canyon City Asset Identification
Sector and Assets
Population
Elderly Population
Critical Roads
Highway 26
Highway 395
Bridges
Inland Dr.
Nugget Lane
Clark St.
Main St.
Adams Rd.
Bridge St.
County Road 51
Critical Facilities
Canyon City Fire Station
Canyon City Reservoir
Canyon City Community Hall
Grant County School District Offices
Grant County Sheriff's Office
Grant County Court House/Jail
Humbolt Elementary School
ODOT Maintenance Facility
Blue Mountain Hospital (John Day)
Grant County Regional Airport (John Day)
Source: Canyon City Addendum TASC
Grant County Natural Environment and Land Use Capacity
Table CC-3 shows the natural resources that were identified by the Grant County
Steering Committee in 2007 and 2013. This table gives some indication of the
intersection between the economy and the natural environment.
5 Canyon City Addendum TASC
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