Economic Development Recovery and Resiliency Playbook - Flipbook - Page 39
a roadmap for recovery. A grant from a local nonprofit
organization provided funding to hire a planning firm
experienced in disaster recovery. Once the contract planning
firm was on board, the town initiated extensive public
outreach eforts to encourage participation and understand
the residents’ priorities. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,
the town held large meetings with more than 700 residents
attending to share thoughts on evacuation routes, early
warning systems, design standards, public space, walkable
downtown areas, and more. Economic recovery was
discussed alongside housing and infrastructure recovery,
as the three go hand in hand. By June 2019, the town had
identified 40 recovery projects and presented a Long-Term
Community Recovery Plan to the Town Council, which
approved it. This plan is the guiding document for recovery
in Paradise to this day. (To see the plan and learn more about
the process, visit www.makeitparadise.org.)
A critical aspect of a recovery plan is community buy-in. Even
in a disaster with a smaller scope than the Camp Fire, it is
important to factor in the thoughts and ideas of community
members and stakeholders when you are talking about the
direction of your community.
Lesson Learned: Working with Public
Works on Recovery
The Paradise Public Works Department had its hands full
with so many recovery projects needed to restore the town
afer the Camp Fire. The town created the Recovery and
Economic Development Department to add capacity to all
departments. The new department began collaborating with
the Public Works Department to identify ways to support
their eforts and to take the lead on projects that served
economic recovery, such as broadband access.
Many identified projects had both infrastructure and
economic recovery components, such as a walkable
downtown area, connected bikeways, and a sewer system.
For these projects, public works staf took the lead on
the technical infrastructure aspects, while recovery and
economic development staf supported public messaging,
grants and funding, and relationship building with
stakeholders and partner agencies. It was understood that
these types of projects, once constructed, would be vital
tools in the economic recovery and development toolbox
to attract new businesses and support existing businesses.
In a large-scale disaster like the Camp Fire, the local Public
Works Department may welcome the support of economic
development partners to add capacity; however, this may
be more challenging in the context of a smaller-scope
emergency or when proactively crafing a recovery strategy.
Recovery from smaller-scope disasters may initially appear
to fit more easily within physical infrastructure alone. In
such cases, it is particularly helpful to talk through potential
scenarios and ways that this type of collaborative support
can benefit public works projects.
Lesson Learned:
Recovery Budgeting
The Town of Paradise recognized the need to look at
capital project budgeting diferently in the Camp Fire’s
afermath. The Public Works Department was suddenly
facing more projects and a larger budget than ever before,
with over 40 community recovery projects identified along
with multiple public assistance and hazard mitigation
projects by FEMA, and 60 projects qualified for CDBG
Disaster Recovery funding.
Many of these projects were not only public works
projects, but also projects for the town’s economic
recovery. With this in mind, in the second budget year
afer the Camp Fire, the Capital Improvement Budget also
included “Recovery Projects.” This new approach allowed
the Public Works Department and the newly created
Recovery and Economic Development Department to work
together on overlapping projects.
Economic Development Takeaway
Prior to the pandemic, the town held large meetings with more than 700 residents
attending to share thoughts on evacuation routes, early warning systems, and more.
Economic recovery was discussed alongside housing and infrastructure recovery, as
the three go hand in hand.
Infrastructure Systems and Improvements in the Post-Pandemic Era
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