Smithville - Resiliency Hazards & Risks Assessment Review

RESILIENCY HAZARDS & RISKS ASSESSMENT
Community resiliency in Smithville refers to the ability of the community to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from significant adverse events, particularly natural hazards. This concept encompasses not only the physical and infrastructural aspects, but also the social and economic systems that support the community's ability to bounce back and even thrive after disruptive incidents.

Update titled “Bastrop County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2022: Maintaining a Safe, Secure, and Sustainable Community.” The HMP is a multi-jurisdictional plan encompassing Bastrop County and its municipalities, several school districts, and water
control and improvement districts.

The Hazard Risk Ranking chart categorizes various hazards based on their frequency of occurrence, potential severity, and overall ranking.

The mitigation strategy outlined for Smithville involves a combination of structural and non-structural measures aimed at reducing risks and enhancing community resilience. Enhance flood resilience and safety within the community through targeted infrastructure improvements, regulatory enhancements, and public awareness initiatives. 

Enhance community resilience and safety against windstorms, including severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, through improved infrastructure, early warning systems, education, and robust emergency response plans. 

Heighten cybersecurity resilience by safeguarding critical infrastructure, protecting sensitive data, ensuring the continuity of essential public services, fostering a culture of cyber awareness, and maintaining trust in digital technologies across all municipal operations. 

Enhance community resilience to drought and land subsidence by implementing drought monitoring, recommending soil compaction practices, strengthening water conservation ordinances, and launching a public awareness campaign on water conservation. 

Strengthen community resilience to severe weather by creating a de-icing plan, improving emergency communication, achieving Storm Ready designation, and increasing public awareness. 

Increase community resilience to wildfires through strategic planning, public awareness, and targeted mitigation efforts. 

Determining Risk in Community Planning 
The FEMA National Risk Index defines risk as the potential for adverse impacts from natural hazards, quantifying it through three main components:   Expected Annual Loss (EAL), Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience.  

Key Points
• Smithville’s Aging Population Requires Increased Investment in Senior Services
• Smithville Saw Steady Growth Until 1980, Then Renewed Expansion in the 1990s
• Smithville's Projected 2030 Population is 4,350, With Minimal Annual Growth
• Growth Projections (2025-2045) Show Scenarios of 0.5% and 1%
• Increases TDC Projects Texas Population Growth Through 2060 Based on Key Demographic Trends
• Rising Senior Population by 2045 Will Drive Demand for Healthcare and Housing
• Attracting Younger Families is Vital for Smithville's Long-Term Economic Stability

Summary
Focus is on affordability, renovations, and new construction to sustain Smithville’s housing market.
 Median Property Value in Smithville (2022) is $222,200, $60K Below National Average
 Property Values Increased by 23% from 2021 to 2022, Rising from $180,200
 Smithville's Homeownership Rate is 68%, Slightly Higher Than the National Average of 65%
 Median Per Capita Income in Smithville is $56,627 with 1.67K Households
 Smithville's Property Market Experiences Significant Growth Despite lower than regional average values.

The wastewater study inventories major components of the local wastewater system and identifies areas of operation requiring improvement to ensure safe, efficient, and economical collections and treatment. The study concludes by providing a prioritized summary of needed improvements and estimated costs.

Smithville manages stormwater drainage primarily through an open ditch network, with some underground pipes supplementing in higher-density areas. Flooding risks are present in portions of the city.

The City of Smithville is a community water system that serves 2,040 total connections with a population of 4,130 (2020 US Census Bureau population estimate). The City of Smithville has three wells (Well No. 3, Well No. 5, and Well No. 6) on two pressure planes.

The City of Smithville's Electrical distribution and transmission system was installed in 1895. Smithville Municipal Utilities is a Municipally Owned Electric Utility (MOU) that owns, operates, and maintains the transmission lines within the system. The City receives and purchases power from a single substation which is owned by LCRA. The City’s staff indicated that no major electrical upgrades are required now. Minor improvements such as replacing poles and tree trimming will be required in the upcoming years.

Smithville's roads range from multi-lane state highways down to two-lane city streets and county roads. The state highways serve as the primary regional connectors.