Our hearts go out to the residents and business owners on Main Street in Ellicott City, and all of the families who lost a loved one or are dealing with the aftermath of Saturday’s flash flood event. This is our community and our Main Street and VPC will do what we can, where we can, to assist the County and local businesses with their recovery efforts. #ECStrong #EllicottCity

Over the past year, VPC has been working with the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission on a pilot project intended to bring attention to the need for historic and cultural resources to be considered when developing hazard mitigation plans. The pilot included four geographically, demographically, and architecturally diverse counties across the Commonwealth, with the goal of providing a template for other counties to follow in the future.

The project builds on earlier survey efforts by incorporating historic preservation considerations into the Pennsylvania State Hazard Mitigation Plan as well as four individual County Hazard Mitigation Plans. The study was conducted in Bedford, Cameron, and Monroe Counties, and the City of Philadelphia.

For more information, read the project blog here: https://bit.ly/2s5ERcN.

As part of the ongoing Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative by PHMC, VPC facilitated two meetings in Bedford County Pennsylvania on May 1st, 2018. Local newspaper, the Altoona Mirror, attended the public meeting.

County Planning Commission Director Donald Schwartz stated "This is the first significant survey of historic properties in Bedford County in over 30 years." When attendees to the public meeting asked about being given access to the report and its findings, Mr. Schwartz stated "This is a major effort, we will promote and provide access to these documents."

"This is the first significant survey of historic properties in Bedford County in over 30 years."

-Donald Schwartz, Director, Bedford County Planning Commission

The Bedford County Planning Commission and the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission expect to release disaster mitigation actions for vulnerable historic properties by the end of June. The release will include action steps that historic building owners can take to protect against flooding, such as planting native vegetation along sides of the building and installing storm gutters, as the second part of a disaster planning initiative."

Read the full article written by the local newspaper here: https://bit.ly/2rkrQL3