January 10, 2021
Escambia County will hold a public meeting Monday evening to update progress on the efforts to address flooding in the Bristol Park area.
The county is applying for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to further the county’s acquisition and flood plain restoration initiative in this area. The county is looking to voluntarily acquire properties in the Bristol Park and Ashbury Hills neighborhoods from willing homeowners.
“Unfortunately, the Bristol Park area experienced substantial flooding again during Hurricane Sally,” District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. “This meeting will provide a venue for homeowners to ask questions and gain additional information about an option that may be available to help them with their individual situation.”
Whitesboro Mayor Robert Friedlander announced Wednesday that the village is actively seeking flood mitigation funding for area small businesses.
Friedlander says the funds being sought are part of FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, with this particular grant aimed at property acquisition of areas that are heavily impacted by flood events. The pool of money available totals $3.7 Million statewide, which is a fraction of the $20 Million already secured by the Village of Whitesboro for residential acquisition.
Friedlander says $3.7 Million to be awarded and disbursed statewide will make this grant extremely competitive, but there is no way that we were going to let that deter us from going after it. In an effort to be successful in acquiring the grant, the Village Board approved the hiring of the MRB Group out of Rochester to better their chances of getting the grant. MRB specializes in grant research, writing and administration. The group has secured $50 Million for their cl
• Permit Fee Reduction Grant – Save 50% or $3,500 on permit fees
• Town Home Reconstruction Program – Low-interest, deferred loan for income-eligible property owners up to $150,000. For more information visit,
Government Hazard Tree Removal Program deadline Dec. 31: The Government Hazard Tree Removal Program has begun removing trees, marking the next phase of recovery for Paradise after the Camp Fire. The Government Program is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and administered by the State of California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and CalRecycle and is the first of its kind where trees on private property can be removed through a FEMA funded program. The Government Program has set a deadline to enroll of December
1,239 Building Permits issued
532 Homes Rebuilt (certificate of occupancy issued)
289 Multi-Family Permit Applications Received
234 Multi-Family Permits Issued
Other Updates
Business Update: Over the last year, Paradise has welcomed new and returning businesses to its community. Recently, Déjà vu Nursery, Tractor Supply Co., and Joy Lynn’s Candies are a few of the more recent additions to Paradise. The Town said it has seen interest increase from businesses looking to open in Paradise. In order to support business owners through the process, Town Staff meets with prospective businesses to walk them through the permitting and opening process to ensure a smooth experience. If you are thinking about opening a business in Paradise, please reach out to the business liaison Colette Curtis at (530) 872-6291 x112 or ccurtis@townofparadise.com to schedule a business development meeting.