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A MOTION requesting the executive provide support for residents and businesses impacted by recent severe weather; and requesting a plan for King County's ongoing response and an after-action report.
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WHEREAS, on November 19, 2024, a record-setting powerful extratropical cyclone storm, or bomb cyclone, the magnitude of which the area has never seen, brought heavy rains and gusts of wind over seventy miles per hour throughout the county, and
WHEREAS, the impacts of the storm included widespread power outages that affected over 500,000 customers, which is almost one-fourth of the residents in King County, as well as fallen trees throughout the county that resulted in the closures of roads, schools, and businesses, and the deaths of at least two people, and
WHEREAS the eastside of the county was the most heavily affected area with thousands of customers still without power one week after the initial outage;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The council requests the executive to provide support, to the extent allowed by law, to the residents, businesses, and municipalities impacted by the November 19, 2024, storm event, and to provide a plan for King County's ongoing response, outlining specific actions the county can legally take to provide immediate and longer-term relief for the safety and security of our residents, including, but not limited to, the following:
1. For unincorporated King County, fee waivers, authorized under K.C.C. 27.02.040, for home and business repairs stemming from the storm;
2. Recommendations for establishing a grant program for residents with a demonstrated financial need who have incurred out of pocket living expenses as a result of extended power outages, such as fuel for generators, spoiled food expenses, short-term hotel charges, tree and branch removal, impacts to farms with produce or animals, and other storm-related expenses. The recommendations should include potential funding sources and eligibility criteria;
3. Fee waivers for disposal of excess solid waste, yard waste, and municipal debris, including service fees and tipping fees, related to cleanup from the storm. The fee waivers shall continue in force and effect until the November 20, 2024, Proclamation of Emergency is terminated by order of the executive or action by the county council by ordinance;
4. Identification of resources and funding for increased sheriff patrols for any areas without power or with a high vacancy rate due to storm damage;
5. Pursuit of or participation in any United States Small Business Administration disaster loan program for homes or businesses that are significantly damaged and are uninsured or underinsured; and
6. Technical assistance for residents and businesses who apply for property tax relief following the emergency under the destroyed property relief program authorized in chapter 84.70 RCW, or any other available programs.
B. The council further requests the executive develop an after-action report to include:
1. A description of the storm and the county's response. The description should include the extent of the damage throughout the county, the response of county agencies and regional partners, and the coordination efforts by the King County office of emergency management or other county agencies;
2. A gap analysis that identifies critical infrastructure, resources, regional coordination, relationships, or other actions in order to provide improved responses to future storm and power outage events; the barriers to acquiring or developing the infrastructure, resources, and relationships; and recommendations for how to fill these gaps;
3. Identification of any legal or policy barriers to providing disaster recovery support to those impacted by the November 19, 2024, storm or any past or future storms, including recommendations for potential changes to King County ordinances, state law, or other law or policy that would address legal barriers to support disaster recovery;
4. Identification of the changes required to King County ordinances to implement an expedited permit process for home and business repairs stemming from storm damage; and
5. Recommendations for updates to any King County emergency plans, such as the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, the Regional Coordination Framework, King County continuity of operations plans and the King County Continuity of Government Plan.
C. The executive should electronically file the plan for providing support requested in section A. of this motion, by January 3, 2025, with the clerk of the council, who shall retain an electronic copy and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, and the lead staff for the committee of the whole or its successor.
D. The executive should electronically file the after-action report by September 1, 2025, with the clerk of the of the council, who shall retain an electronic copy and
provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, and the lead staff for the committee of the whole or its successor.