The City of Jacksonville, Fla., recently released plans for Resilient Jacksonville, a 50-year resiliency strategy to reduce the risks from flooding, hurricanes, excessive heat, and wildfires, and to respond better to those events.
The plan includes ways to stop the St. Johns River from flooding vulnerable neighborhoods, including those prone to flooding during heavy rain or hurricanes. One measure, a green stormwater infrastructure program, would help with flooding and also reduce water pollution by constructing rain gardens, swales, and tree trenches to store stormwater runoff before it can get to sewers.
The city also plans to relocate certain city-owned resources “where alternative adaptation options are infeasible.” These properties and infrastructure assets would be moved to areas outside of a flood plain.
The plans to address excessive heat by investing in the more than 400 parks around Jacksonville and expand an alert system for high-heat days. The city would also improve cooling facilities, possibly add more of them, and keep them open longer.
Related Stories
Seismic Design | Jul 28, 2016
Risk of man-made earthquakes now factor in seismic hazard analysis
Significant risk increases seen in some areas of the U.S.
Resiliency | Jul 27, 2016
New York’s resilience plans not taking long-term view, critics charge
Continued waterfront development may be regretted later this century.
Resiliency | Jul 18, 2016
Impact fees on development proposed to fund Miami’s rising sea level resiliency plans
$400 million flood plan includes new valves, pumps, and raised roadways.
Resiliency | Jun 1, 2016
Federal agencies boost standards for more resilient construction
HUD, FEMA, GSA, Army Corps of Engineers make policy changes.
Green | May 31, 2016
Miami Beach requires developers to meet green standards or pay a fee
Applies to structures larger than 7,000 sf.
Resiliency | May 12, 2016
Resilience Building Coalition releases progress report
The coalition released a set of guiding principles to help the building industry adopt resilient design and policies. Since the initial signing, the coalition has added 19 new signatories.
Architects | May 11, 2016
AIA to create a resilience curriculum for architects
The program will teach resilient design and decision-making on hazard mitigation, climate adaptation and community resilience.
Legislation | May 11, 2016
Two bills seek to expand flood insurance policy writing to private carriers
Thanks to new floodplain maps, this market, previously the sole province of a federal program, looks more profitable.
Resiliency | May 2, 2016
Connecticut to develop new code standards for resiliency
Expected more frequent severe weather events due to climate change prompts review.
Resiliency | Apr 6, 2016
Houston at high risk for major damage from hurricanes
After a decade of study, little has been done to improve resiliency.
