Identifying and managing the risks to life and property should form part of the development and building planning. The impact of hazard protection measures needs to be assessed and balanced against the level of risk and potential impacts on the environment and visitor experience. Key issues that must be considered during the planning process include:
- Access and egress
- Siting and design of buildings
- Hazard types and vulnerability such as fire, landslide, flooding, hurricane, earthquake, storm-surge, tsunami, and volcano.
An appropriate protection plan for occupants, should also be developed based on the principles of stay and defend or leave early. From a design perspective, hazard requirements, such as clearance of vegetation around buildings, can be at odds with design responses aimed at minimizing impacts on vegetation and providing visitor experience. ‘A co-operative approach during the design process will generally assist to resolve such conflicts.’2 This begins by talking to the relevant agencies such as the Physical Planning and Development Authority, Forestry Division, Disaster and Preparedness office, Ministry of Tourism, Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association, and the Fire Department, early on in the design process. Investigate the range of possible development responses to satisfy statutory requirements.