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e e e In many communities, this role could be filled by someone in the planning department, In smaller communities, it could be the emergency manager, a council member, or the chair of the citizens' planning committee, While a consultant may provide valuable guidance, the person in charge should be a local employee or resident. Whoever is put in charge must have an open mind about the variety of possible mitigation measures. Different professionals will bring their own preferences to the process, For example, planning implemented by engineers often favor structural flood control measures, while plans prepared by emergency managers may be biased toward flood preparedness activities, Similarly, land use planners may orient a mitigation plan toward regulatory or land use measures, Staffwho likely will be responsible for helping to implement the plan should be involved in the planning process, as they need to understand what is expected of them and be willing to work toward implementation. Also, the planner will need technical support from engineers and other staff professionals who are more familiar with some of the flood mitigation measures, Therefore, key staff from all affected departments should participate in the planning process, Which staff to involve depends on the community's organization and the mitigation measures that will likely be reviewed and/or selected during the planning process, The planning committee It is strongly recommended that the mitigation planning process be conducted by a planning committee of 10 to 15 people representing community staff and the public. This structure has proven to be very helpful in providing information on the needs and . concerns of the groups, and in keeping the community up to date on how the plan is progressing. A planning committee can: . Be an effective forum for matching the technical requirements of a program to the community's situation, . Give the participants a feeling of. ownership" of the plan and its recommendations, which helps build public support for it, and Staff to be Included in Mitigation Planning Planning/community development (planning direction, coordination with other plans, programs to help residents and businesses) Engineer (flood data, structural measures) Emergency manager (emergency services measures) Public safety, police and fire (emergency services measures) Public workslstreets/highways (structural measures, channel maintenance) Building/zoning/code enforcement (regulations, building and property protection) Public infonnationlcommunity relations (property protection measures, public involvement) Parks and forest preserve (acquisition, protection of natural areas) Governing board or manager's office (political a lance and ado tion . Fonn a constituency that will have a stake in ensuring that the plan is implemented, The "IO-Step" Mitigation PIarining Process 3 May 1999