Local Mitigation Strategy

Mitigation is any action taken to permanently reduce or eliminate the risk to people and their property from the effects of hazards. The key to successful hazard vulnerability reduction through mitigation is to implement a well-conceived planning process. The Seminole County Resiliency Working Group (RWG) was established to encourage the public, private, and non-profit sectors of the community to become more resistant to the impacts of future disasters. The RWG has been tasked with a comprehensive evaluation of the vulnerabilities of Seminole County for all-hazards in order to identify ways to make the community more resilient to the impacts of disasters.

The primary purpose of the RWG is to establish an on-going process that encourages hazard mitigation as part of a daily routine for Seminole County and its municipalities. The RWG process is to assess vulnerabilities to all types of hazards; identify a comprehensive list of goals, objectives, plans, programs and projects in order to decrease or eliminate the effects of the identified vulnerabilities; and then prioritize the implementation of the selected initiatives.

CRS Activity 510 

Annual Progress Report on Implementation of Credited Plan.

Name of Community: The City of Oviedo                        

Date this Annual Progress Report was prepared: March 29, 2022

Name of Plan: Seminole County Floodplain Management Plan

Date of Adoption of Plan: September 09, 2021  

 5 Year CRS Expiration Date: October 01, 2024

Which Plan is this for (use separate templates for each credited Plan):

             Floodplain Management Plan (Hazard Mitigation Plan)

             Repetitive Loss Area Analysis

             Floodplain Species Plan

             Substantial Damage Plan 

Background

The City of Oviedo worked with Seminole County to plan and contribute to the Seminole County Floodplain Management Plan (FPMP). The FPMP was adopted by City of Oviedo Council on April 06, 2020 as an appendix to the already adopted the Seminole County Local Mitigation Strategy (LMS). The plan identifies hazard risks and local assessments for all participating municipalities in Seminole County. The City of Oviedo attends quarterly meetings as part of the Seminole County Resiliency Working Group. The City currently has zero repetitive losses within the city’s jurisdiction and most recently adopted the Model Floodplain Ordinance by the Department of Emergency Management. The Ordinance was tailored to meet both the City of Oviedo’s higher regulatory standards and the Florida Building Code. 

Both the LMS and the FPMP can be found on line at Seminole County Local Mitigation Strategy and Seminole County Floodplain Management Plan. A Copy of the report can also be requested from the City’s Floodplain Manager at akortus@cityofoviedo.net or by mail request to 1655 Evans Street, Oviedo FL 32765.  

How the Report was prepared

The City’s Floodplain Manager and CRS Coordinator prepared the annual progress report and provided it for publication to all public forums utilized by the City. Items reviewed, but not limited to, include public infrastructure inspections, pollution prevention awareness publications, updating the Floodplain Ordinance, water quality sampling, rehabilitating storm structures, and inspection of the local floodway by drone. These actions are all part of the annual goals within the FPMP.

The City is currently developing a revised Stormwater Master Plan to incorporate an engineering analysis that will identify Base Flood Elevations for those areas in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) Zone A (without identified elevations). The Plan will also outline areas within the City that do not have traditional stormwater infrastructure and are areas of possible localized flooding. 

Goal 1. To maintain the condition of the stormwater ponds in Oviedo:

The City annually inspects ponds and ditches, as well as the local floodway (Sweetwater Creek) by drone. The functionality of the ponds and ditches are checked to ensure discharge. If maintenance is necessary, a work order is entered into the City’ software system.

Goal 2. To maintain the quality of public street drainage facilities:

The City proactively inspects storm lines for faults and inlet boxes for capacity. Cleaning of the storm system is done in house with the City owned Jet-Vac Truck. Streets are swept routinely to prevent road debris, leaves, and objects from entering the system. Inlet decals are placed atop inlet boxes notifying the residents that the system leads to a water way and to prevent dumping debris. Major outfalls that convey to wetlands and surface waters are inspected every year and cleaned, which keeps the main city discharge points clear.

Goal 3. To improve the quality of stormwater runoff in Oviedo:

The City conducts water quality sampling of all four watersheds to which it discharges into. Both Phosphorous and Nitrogen are monitored, as well as Dissolved Solids. The street sweeping program, adopt-a-road program, and jet-vac cleaning are vital components to reducing the nutrient loading. The recently completed Solary Park project has a six (6) acre retention area with a littoral zone surrounding the pond and wetland plantings. The park adds further water quality treatment to Sweetwater Creek, a part of the Lake Jesup Basin, which has a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP).

The City participates in annual mock disaster training drills through Seminole County Emergency Management. The City’s Emergency Management Plan is reviewed and updated annually. The last update was completed in May 2021. Evacuation routes, shelter information, flood preparedness, siren warning system, and hurricane preparedness guides are published on the public website under Disaster Preparedness. A representative from the City attends quarterly meeting as a voting member on the Resiliency Working Group to identify and/or approve items within the Local Mitigation Strategy and Floodplain Management Plan, and to add any upcoming flood related or resiliency items.

The City continues to maintain, inspect, and rehabilitate any necessary aging infrastructure and all conveyance tributaries to eliminate localized flooding. 

The City is currently working on a Floodplain Species Plan that will identify both local wildlife and State designated threatened species whose habitats are within floodplains and sensitive areas within the City. The plan is anticipated to become an interactive GIS layer open to the public for educational purposes and will interact with other local and state agencies.