Abstract
In 2017, 25% of all US counties received at least one major presidential disaster declaration. In 2020, this trend continues with devastating wildfires, stronger hurricanes, extreme flooding, intense tornadoes, and other natural disasters. Since 2004, Santa Rosa County (SRC) has been included in 13 declared disasters. In addition, increased population and infrastructure has led SRC to begin to address resiliency issues. In 2018, SRC received $12,000 from the Florida Beverage Association’s Community Environmental Sustainability Award to begin the SRC Green Infrastructure (GI) Stormwater Management and Educational Outreach Program. Also, in 2018, SRC staff were admitted to NACo’s Strengthening Coastal Counties Resilience Technical Assistance Program. This program began discussions of the County’s existing resilience assets, needs, and how the team can use the program resources to accomplish resilience-building goals. These initiatives have resulted in SRC receiving a NOAA Northern Gulf of Mexico Resilience to Future Flooding grant to conduct a county-wide vulnerability assessment. Results from this assessment will help the team find the intersections between the environmental and socio-economic factors that make communities most vulnerable to flooding disasters. The county has partnered with the University of Florida for an EPA-funded Resiliency to Coastal Flooding Project, in which the project team will work with local communities to determine storm-water impacts and recommend GI practices that mitigate diminished water quality and flooding. SRC received a $120,000 Resilient Coastlines Program grant to assess and determine the most suitable type of nature-based living shoreline for Floridatown park. SRC will work with community stakeholders to determine the type of nature-based structure for this location. These projects have resulted in a greater understanding of resiliency issues and needs within the county by stakeholders and community leaders. The team continues to initiate projects that promote resiliency in Santa Rosa County, FL.
