Georgia Local Hazard Mitigation Plan — FEMA Stafford Act §322 Compliance (GA)
Tracked preemption from the Georgia overlay bundle.
Overview
← All state preemptionsGeorgia overlay roll-upGeorgia zoning wikiGeorgia building codesFederal overlaysGlossaryFederal-conflict: Yes
Effective
2000-10-30
Sunset
—
Authority
state_federal_joint
Scope
state:GA
Other Georgia preemptions
Georgia Short-Term Rentals — No State PreemptionGeorgia Density / ADU / Design Review — No State PreemptionGeorgia Tree Canopy / Tree Ordinance — No Statewide PreemptionGeorgia Military Installation & Airport Compatible-Use Zoning ReviewGeorgia Service Delivery Strategy Act (HB 489) — Intergovernmental Coordination MandateGeorgia Groundwater Recharge Area Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning CriteriaGeorgia Wetlands Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning CriteriaGeorgia Water Supply Watershed Protection — DCA Part V Environmental Planning Criteria
Trigger predicate
When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.
always true
Preempted fields
4 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.
| Field | Op | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
hazard_mitigation.local_plan_adoption_required_for_federal_funding | override | True | Local jurisdictions must adopt a FEMA-approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) to be eligible for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grants — Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities (BRIC), and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) |
hazard_mitigation.lhmp_update_cycle_years | override | 5 | 44 CFR §201.6(d)(3) requires LHMPs to be reviewed, revised, and resubmitted every 5 years to remain valid for HMA funding eligibility |
comprehensive_plan.requires_hazard_mitigation_integration | override | True | GEMA encourages integration of LHMP mitigation actions into the local comprehensive plan's community work program; integration improves grant-scoring under BRIC and is consistent with DCA Minimum Planning Standards |
base_districts[*].permitted_lhmp_implementation_actions | add | ['flood_overlay_zoning_amendments', 'wildland_urban_interface_overlay_zoning', 'tornado_safe_room_construction_standards', 'acquisition_relocation_of_repetitive_loss_properties', 'stricter_local_freeboard_above_state_nfip_minimum'] | LHMP-identified mitigation actions are non-binding on zoning content, but provide the planning-and-funding pathway for stronger local hazard overlays (especially flood and wildfire WUI) |
Citation
Authority source
Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-390) amending Stafford Act §322 (42 U.S.C. §5165); 44 CFR Part 201 (Mitigation Planning); Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) State Hazard Mitigation Plan (most recently updated 2024)
§ Stafford Act §322; 44 CFR §201.6 (Local Mitigation Plans); §201.4 (State Mitigation Plan)
Research notes
Hybrid federal/state mandate — LHMP adoption is technically voluntary, but losing it forfeits eligibility for FEMA HMA dollars (frequently the largest source of post-disaster recovery and pre-disaster resilience funding). Effectively universal across GA counties (all 159 counties are covered by an approved multi-jurisdictional LHMP as of 2024 GEMA reporting). LHMPs are typically multi-jurisdictional, prepared and adopted at the county level with municipal adoptions piggy-backing. Often co-evolved with the NFIP flood damage prevention ordinance (see GA_FLOOD_DAMAGE_PREVENTION_NFIP) and with the comprehensive plan (see GA_COMPREHENSIVE_PLANNING_ACT_50_8_7_1_QLG). Federal conflict check enabled because LHMP-driven local hazard overlays (especially wildland-urban interface and flood overlays) must reconcile with NFIP floodplain rules and any FAA airspace surfaces if mitigation involves height-based safe-room construction.