Coweta County Emergency Management Agency completed the update of the 2018 Coweta County Hazard Mitigation Plan as required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA requires the Hazard Mitigation Plan be updated every five (5) years. This update involved 49 people who comprised the Coweta County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Committee, which represented Coweta County, the City of Grantville, the City of Haralson, the City of Newnan, the City of Palmetto, the City of Senoia, the Town of Moreland, the Town of Sharpsburg, and the Town of Turin.

The committee also included representatives from other organizations, such as the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, the Coweta-Fayette Electric Membership Cooperative, and Piedmont Newnan Hospital. Three Committee meetings were held to review the 2018 Hazard Mitigation Plan, Identify hazards facing Coweta County, perform a full risk assessment of those hazards, review previous mitigation strategies, and identify new mitigation strategies for Coweta County and all municipalities. The plan has been approved by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

View the complete Coweta County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update here. 

Below are the following entities that adopted the 2024 Coweta County Hazard Mitigation Plan:

• Coweta County
• City of Grantville
• City of Haralson
• City of Newnan
• City of Palmetto
• Town of Moreland
• Town of Turin

Local ordinances dealing with emergencies and disasters approved by the Coweta County Board of Commissioners include, but are not limited to:

Ordinance Authorizing The Imposition Of Curfews During Times Of Emergency Or Disaster:

Allows the Board of Commissioners to institute a curfew either: (1) following a declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor; or (2) following the existence of an emergency or disaster as determined by the Board of Commissioners. The curfew is instituted through the adoption of a resolution specifying the dates, hours and territory within the county to which the curfew applies. The curfew does not apply to individuals rendering emergency services (e.g., EMA employees, fire department employees, law enforcement employees, rescue workers, medical service providers, utility repair employees, military personnel, etc.). The resolution instituting curfew may also exempt other individuals (e.g., news media employees, regular employees of local industries, building and repair contractors, etc.) in the discretion of the Board of Commissioners.

Ordinance Authorizing The Suspension Of Portions Of The Code Of Ordinances And Other Formalities During A State Of Emergency:

Allows the Board of Commissioners to waive certain formalities during a state of emergency: (1) Commission meetings may be held at places other than the regular meeting place - even outside of the county; (2) Regular purchasing procedures (i.e., placing a notice of bidding a project in the legal organ and at the courthouse for four weeks prior to the acceptance of a contract, letting out contracts only to the lowest bidder, etc.) may be suspended; (3) Enforcement of certain portions of the code of ordinances may be suspended when normal application of the code would be inconsistent with the public health, safety and welfare; (4) The Board of Commissioners may suspend or reduce permit fees, application fees or other rate schedules to encourage the rebuilding of the area impacted by the disaster; and (5) The Board of Commissioners may, administratively allow the placement of temporary housing that might otherwise be prohibited by the zoning regulations.

The Ordinance To Prohibit Overcharging Of Goods, Materials, Services And Housing During A State Of Emergency:

Prohibits price gouging during a state of emergency and up to 6 months following the emergency declaration.

A hazard mitigation plan aims to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. Having a hazard mitigation plan increases awareness of hazards, risks and vulnerabilities; identifies actions for risk reduction; and focuses local resources on the greatest risks while communicating priorities to state and federal officials.

Mitigation is an investment in your community’s future safety and sustainability. Mitigation planning helps you take action now, before a disaster, to reduce losses when a disaster occurs. The planning process helps you think through how to plan, design and develop your community while building partnerships for risk reduction.  

Other benefits of mitigation planning include:

• Protecting public safety and preventing loss of life and injury.
• Reducing damage to existing and future development.
• Maintaining community continuity and strengthening the social connections that are essential for recovery
• Preventing damage to your community’s unique economic, cultural and environmental assets
• Minimizing downtime, accelerating recovery and reducing the costs of disaster response
• Helping accomplish other community objectives, such as capital improvements, infrastructure protection, open space preservation and economic resiliency