Kent council adopts King County hazard mitigation plan annex to preserve FEMA funding

Kent — The Kent City Council unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2105 on Tuesday, approving the City of Kent annex to the King County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan for 2025–2030, a measure city staff said preserves eligibility for federal mitigation funding and establishes local priorities for flood, seismic and infrastructure resilience.

"The annex aligns with the countywide risk assessment and meets FEMA requirements," said Mike Matutis, the citynvironmental engineering manager, during a short presentation. Matutis cited December's regional storm and levee breaches as examples of events the plan addresses and said the annex includes a two-year implementation roadmap and a list of capital locations identified for resilient infrastructure grants.

Matutis said the plan identifies hazards, maps vulnerabilities, prioritizes mitigation actions and integrates activities across city departments and regional partners. He told the council the annex helps "protect lives, property and infrastructure" and reduces long-term disaster costs by supporting proactive mitigation.

Council Member Trautner moved to adopt the resolution, saying regional coordination and grant eligibility were core benefits. The motion passed 6-0.

Adoption does not itself fund projects; city staff will use the annex to pursue grant programs, including FEMA opportunities, and to coordinate with the regional fire authority and King County on mitigation strategies. Council members who spoke in the meeting thanked staff and regional partners for their work on the plan.

The council offered the public a comment opportunity after the presentation; no speakers signed up. The resolution replaces a prior mitigation resolution and formally attaches the city annex to the county plan.