City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: NOVEMBER 6, 2013
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER/s/
DOCKET TITLE:
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Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Stormwater Local Assistance Fund for Up to $1,200,000.
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ISSUE: Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Stormwater Local Assistance Fund to retrofit Lake Cooke.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Approve the submission of the $1.2 million grant application, due November 15, for the proposed retrofitting of Lake Cooke; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: In order to reduce non-point source pollution from stormwater runoff and help localities meet infrastructure requirements, the Virginia General Assembly has created the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund. This fund consists of bond proceeds authorized by the General Assembly for the purpose of providing matching grants to local governments for the planning, design, and implementation of stormwater best management practices that address cost efficiency and commitments related to reducing water quality pollutant loads. This fund will be administered by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
DISCUSSION: The Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still safely meet water quality standards, assigns nutrient loading reductions to each locality. The State has recently instituted a new series of very stringent storm water regulations, and as a result Virginia localities, including the City, have new pollutant reduction requirements which are regulated through the City's Multiple Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. In order to meet these requirements, a considerable investment in storm water quality improvement infrastructure will be required over the next 15 years. Staff is actively pursuing grant opportunities to help fund some of these largely unfunded mandates. The leading candidate for this 2013 grant request is a proposed retrofit of Lake Cooke with the intent of increasing water quality benefits. Lake Cooke was chosen because the land use is currently a pond and can be retrofitted to a stormwater management pond that will cost effectively provide water quality benefits for up to 390 acres, enhance the areas around the pond and improve fishing opportunities. The retrofit may include, among other things, adding a forebay, increasing the capacity, creating an aquatic bench, adding grade control structure(s), riparian enhancements and other landscaping near the pond - all of which will also increase aquatic health for fish and other organisms. This request is consistent with City Council's Strategic Plan Goal #2, "Maintain and improve the quality and sustainability of Alexandria's Environment" through initiatives to "enhance the ecological integrity of waterways by maintaining and improving storm water and sanitary infrastructure and stream system health to minimize environmental impacts." This request is also consistent with the water goals in the Eco-City Charter and Eco-City Action Plan. Pond retrofits are specifically identified as eligible for funding in the grant guidelines.
DEQ notified Virginia localities of this grant opportunity on September 30, with grant applications due on November 15. Since September 30, T&ES staff has been working with our City departments in identifying this as the City's stormwater project which can best be undertaken in the short term, as well as discussing this project with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, whose staff is highly supportive of this project.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Office of Environmental Quality is requesting grant funds in the amount of $1,200,000 to cover 50% of the costs associated with the $2,400,000 total cost of the design and construction/retrofit of Lake Cooke. There is a 1:1 match for this grant and the City's portion would be supplied through the stormwater management funds that are currently approved in the MS4-TMDL Compliance Water Quality CIP account: $800,000 in FY2014 and part of the $800,000 planned for FY15. In the event DEQ grants the City less than $1,200,000, then more of these FY15 CIP funds would be needed.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
STAFF:
Mark Jinks, Deputy City Manager
Richard J. Baier, P.E., LEED AP, Director, T&ES
William J. Skrabak, Deputy Director, Office of Environmental Quality, T&ES
Jerome Fletcher, Special Assistant to the City Manager
Antonio Baxter, Division Chief, Strategic Management Services, T&ES