City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 17, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: ADRIANA CASTANEDA, DIRECTOR, TRANSPORTATION AND
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of updates to the Flood Mitigation Pilot Grant Program.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Consideration of changes to the Flood Mitigation Pilot Grant to remove the requirement to provide documentation of past flooding for eligibility, and to increase the maximum allowable grant match for association common area properties.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council:
1. Remove the requirement to provide documentation of past flooding back to July 8, 2019, and allow all properties at risk of flooding to be eligible to apply for the grant regardless of whether the property flooded in the past; and
2. Approve the framework that increases the maximum allowable grant match for eligible flood mitigation measures on common areas from $5,000 to $25,000.
BACKGROUND: The Flood Mitigation Pilot Grant, the first in Virginia, debuted in August 2021. It's a feature of the new Flood Action Alexandria Program, representing a collaboration between the City and property owners. The initiative encourages property owners to undertake approved flood mitigation actions on their premises. It offers a matching 50/50 reimbursement grant, capping at $5,000 for every $10,000 expended on qualifying flood mitigation activities. However, cleanup and damage repair do not qualify under this program. The grant incentivizes property owners to implement these small-scale flood mitigation practices in the near term to protect their property while staff works on Large Scale Capacity and Spot Improvement projects that take longer to deliver.
Staff worked with the City’s Legislative Director and a local state senator to introduce a bill to revise the Code of Virginia effective July 1, 2021, to allow for the use of public funds on private property for the purpose of the grant program. Staff from T&ES worked with the City Attorney’s Office, Planning and Zoning, and Code Administration to develop the requirements of the Flood Mitigation Pilot Grant Program, and worked with ITS staff for the application process.
The current Grant program requires that the applicant provide documentation of prior flooding. Also, the total grant amount is capped at $5,000 for all properties, to include common areas.
DISCUSSION: The current Flood Mitigation Pilot Grant program requires that the applicant provide documentation of prior flooding that may be backdated to July 8, 2019, to ensure adequate grant funding to prioritize properties that flooded in the past for the first grant awards. Staff believes that this has been accomplished over the first two years of the program.
The grant program has had over 250 applications approved and over $770,000 granted to property owners; however, there has been a drop in participation. Staff believes that this is partly due to the properties that flooded and met the current eligibility requirement to provide documentation of past flooding have likely already applied for and received grant funding. Therefore, staff recommends removal of the requirement to document past flooding so that the Grant program is available to all properties at risk of flooding in the City to allow for proactive mitigation measures to be eligible for grant funding.
Staff’s second recommendation is to allow for an increase to the maximum matching amount grant for association common areas from $5,000 to $25,000. Staff received direction from the Ad Hoc Stormwater Utility and Flood Mitigation Advisory Group to explore ways to provide an increased maximum matching amount for association common areas and supports this approach (Attachment 1). Additionally, the Virginia General Assembly modified § 15.2-2114.01. Local Stormwater Management Fund: grant moneys.to specify the funding of grants for iii) joint flooding mitigation projects of condominium owners; effective July 1, 2023, which provides clear regulatory direction on the use of grant funding for this purpose. The condominium governance structure typically identifies the association as responsible for work associated with the exterior of the units - often called the ‘skin’ of the building - and for shared spaces like clubhouses and parking garages. This recommended update to the pilot program will allow for a matching grant of up to $25,000 when the association installs $50,000 of eligible flood mitigation practices, given that the cost of flood mitigation measures is typically much higher for common areas. Note that this does not preclude the individual condominium owner from applying for the maximum $5,000 matching reimbursement grant.
In addition to these recommended changes, staff have begun enhancing the communications and outreach for the Flood Mitigation Pilot Grant Program to increase participation. If the Council approves the recommended changes, participation potential will greatly increase due to removing the requirement to document past flooding and providing an increased maximum for association common properties.
FISCAL IMPACT: The FY 2024 to FY 2033 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes $789,000 in approved funding for FY 2024 and $809,000 in proposed funding for FY 2025. This funding will be adequate given the past participation and the recommended changes and funding may be able to be reduced in the out years depending on participation.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Ad Hoc Support Memo
2. Presentation
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Tarrence Moorer, Assistant Director, Internal Services, T&ES
William J. Skrabak, Deputy Director, Infrastructure and Environmental Quality, T&ES
Jesse E. Maines, Division Chief of Stormwater Management, T&ES