 |
BUNCOMBE COUNTYRECOVERY PLAN |
Recovery Plan
Work with selected developers to build affordable housing on county-owned property, including parcels on Coxe Avenue, Ferry Road, and Valley Street.
Develop and implement a countywide initiative aimed at improving food security through strategic planning, local food system development, community partnerships, and emergency preparedness.
Enhance disaster preparedness, response, and recovery capacity by partnering with community-based organizations such as nonprofits, faith-based groups, and local initiatives that collaborate to address the needs of communities affected by disasters
Implement a countywide risk reduction (CRR) campaign to promote emergency preparedness to increase community readiness and mitigate risks from future disasters, including a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.
Upfit critical public facilities for county operations with installation of floodproofing, wind hardening, and secondary power sources (such as backup batteries, generators and solar systems) to ensure continuous operation before, during, and after future disasters.
Restore county parks, libraries and community centers to address storm damages while enhancing and expanding cultural and recreational amenities.
Evaluate Buncombe County’s access to heavy equipment and enhance where needed through methods such as purchase, lease, contract, mutual aid. Examples include debris removal vehicles and water rescue equipment to respond to emergency in both rural and urban environments.
Establish a down payment assistance program for low- and moderate-income households affected by Helene. Down payment assistance would provide loans to income-eligible homebuyers who have been permanently displaced due to the storm.
Construct a new, resilient facility to house an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for unified management, command and control of all disasters and emergency events affecting Buncombe County.
Construct a new multi-purpose facility to serve a year-round county use such as a recreation center, that converts to mass care shelter in the event of a disaster.
Conduct repairs and replacements to address damages from Tropical Storm Helene to county-owned fleet and facilities while incorporating mitigation measures to prevent damage from future disasters.
Implement a grant program to assist low- and moderate-income survivor households with home repair needs beyond what other disaster resources can meet.
Conduct assessments of landslides on county-owned and private property to identify imminent threats to life, property, and infrastructure. Seek mitigation or buyout opportunities through state and federal partnerships for qualifying slides on impacted properties to avoid future damage.
Work with partners to develop and deliver a comprehensive plan for effective community mental health support during and after disaster events, including a series of trauma-informed mental health support trainings for community members, first responders, educators, social service providers, and local businesses across the county.
Implement environmental data tracking technology such as weather & air quality monitors, river gauges, and landslide monitors to improve emergency notifications, prevent loss of life, and support public health.
Create and implement a land use and management plan for hazard mitigation properties acquired by the county as a result of Tropical Storm Helene to ensure open space, natural resource conservation, floodplain management, and allowable recreational and agricultural uses.
Implement recommendations from the County’s Tropical Storm Helene Preparedness Action Plan to enhance organizational capacity to effectively respond to future disasters.
Commission and install public art pieces across key public spaces in Buncombe County, focusing on neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and community gathering areas.
Assess capabilities and perform resilience upgrades to critical public safety communications infrastructure, including: solar for radio towers, community notification technology, backup systems, and satellite communication devices for emergency services and critical facilities.
Add features to public facilities (e.g. libraries, community centers, schools) for resilience before, during, and after emergencies. Features may include alternative energy sources, telecommunications, wind hardening and floodproofing, water hookups and storage, enhanced air filtration systems, accessibility, and adaptable multi-use spaces
Work with partners to develop and implement plans for sewer system expansions, to include the removal of septic systems and package plants, generating environmental benefits and opportunities for economic development in unincorporated Buncombe County.
Increase More Than a Job (formerly STEP) enrollment and program graduation rates to serve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients with opportunities to earn a living wage by offering reskilling through continuing education courses and living wage job access.
Provide financial support in the form of grants to small businesses that experienced negative economic impacts from Tropical Storm Helene, aiding their recovery.
Develop and implement an integrated social services disaster plan that ensures the effective and equitable delivery of social services to all residents of Buncombe County before, during, and after a disaster event.
Undertake activities to stabilize and restore streambanks, to include both county property (such as the County’s river parks) and private property (such as residential and farmland property).
Engage the Swannanoa community in needs/priority assessment and the development of a framework to guide future development and public investments in this unincorporated area of Buncombe County that was severely impacted by Helene.
Assess and improve fuel and energy resiliency for Buncombe County business travel during times of emergency, such as expansion of mobile or fixed-location fuel storage and electric vehicle charging solutions.
Complete a comprehensive Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for each of 19 fire districts to provide hazard and risk identification along with pre-planning for mitigation measures and response plans.
