Pine Plains adopts all hazards mitigation plan

PINE PLAINS — The Town Board adopted a resolution on a countywide natural all hazards mitigation plan Nov. 18, following a public hearing on the issue that same night.

In addition to Pine Plains, the plan includes the towns of Amenia, Beekman, Dover, Milan, North East and Pawling, as well as the villages of Millerton and Pawling. The nine municipalities have been working together to collect information and prepare the Northern and Eastern Dutchess County Communities Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, as it’s referred to in the resolution.

The plan was prepared in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and has been approved by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), according to the resolution. It must be updated at least every five years.

Before moving to adopt the resolution, the Town Board discussed its merits.

Councilwoman Sandra David raised the issue of historic buildings that could be in danger if an emergency struck. She said The Pines Inn and the Graham Brush House were listed, but The Stissing House was not. She wondered why. The board agreed it would look into the matter.

David had another concern.

“It didn’t really take into consideration climate changes,� she said, before branching out even further. “And it had a list of what New York state declared and they had terrorism listed, but this was more about natural hazards, like flooding and hurricanes.�

“We aren’t exposed to too much out here,� said Councilman Bob Couse. “That’s unless you cut down the trees around Stissing Lake [and open the land up to risks like flooding].�

“Our worst is earthquakes and fire,� David said.

“I’ve been here for 78 years and I’ve never experienced an earthquake,â€� Couse said, adding that he  believed the town was fairly secure against extreme natural hazards.

There were no other comments made during the public hearing, which closed four minutes after opening, at 8:04 p.m.

Town Supervisor Gregg Pulver noted that the nine jurisdictions participating in the countywide plan were all “in good standing with FEMA.� The board agreed, and murmured its approval of the natural hazards mitigation plan before voting unanimously to adopt the resolution making it the official emergency plan for Pine Plains.

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