North Andover residents can weigh in on the town's updated Hazard Mitigation Plan until the public comment period closes Monday, Oct. 12.

The draft plan is posted on the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC) website for review. The North Andover Select Board first saw the plan at its Monday, Sept. 14, meeting at Town Hall, 120 Main St.

The plan replaces a version last approved in 2021. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) require communities to update their hazard mitigation plans every five years.

What the plan covers

Hazard mitigation plans lay out the natural hazards a community faces, including hurricanes, droughts and riverine erosion, then map the critical infrastructure and services those hazards could disrupt, according to the MVPC. The plans also include a vulnerability assessment that overlays hazards against local infrastructure and an action plan with steps to reduce risk.

The MVPC describes the process as one that identifies natural hazards and assesses the threat they pose to critical community resources in order to reduce the loss of life and property.

The town worked with the Haverhill-based MVPC to prepare the update. Earlier in the process, North Andover collected community feedback through an anonymous survey open through Monday, June 22. Hard copies of that survey were available at Town Hall, Stevens Memorial Library and the North Andover Senior Center.

Why it matters for residents

Keeping the plan current and FEMA-approved unlocks federal funding for pre-disaster mitigation and recovery projects that would otherwise be unavailable, according to the MVPC. The commission noted in a June community feedback notice that natural hazards are evolving in prevalence, intensity and frequency, and that regular updates help towns adapt to changing climate impacts and plan for resiliency.

The town's announcement did not specify what happens after the comment period closes or when FEMA and MEMA would review the final plan.

A recording of the Sept. 14 Select Board meeting where the plan was introduced is available on YouTube.

Residents can submit comments through the MVPC website before the Oct. 12 deadline.