City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: DECEMBER 2, 2020
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Grant Application for Four Mile Run Sediment Dredging. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a competitive grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) for $1.4 million for the FY 2020 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) for a Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster mitigation grant.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Adopt the attached resolution to apply for $1,406,250 FY 2020 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) for the new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster mitigation grant program to assist in funding the removal of sediment from the Four Mile Run flood channel to restore the design conveyance.
(2) Authorize the City Manager to submit this resolution and enter into any agreements that may be required to receive these funds should the requested allocation be approved.
BACKGROUND: FEMA’s new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster grant program supports states, local communities, tribes and territories to undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards. BRIC is a new FEMA pre-disaster hazard mitigation program that replaces the existing Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program. The grant program provides cost-share funding for the BRIC program aims to categorically shift the federal focus away from reactive disaster spending and toward research-supported, proactive investment in community resilience. FEMA anticipates BRIC funding projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to partnerships, such as shared funding mechanisms, and/or project design. T&ES has submitted preapplication materials and intends to apply for FY 2020 funding from the BRIC program.
DISCUSSION: The Four Mile Run Channel Maintenance project is ongoing in the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Accelerated erosion in the watershed deposits sediment in the City’s flood channels like Four Mile Run. More frequent intense rainfall events increase flooding and further accelerates the rate of erosion and sediment deposition. Periodic dredging of significant accumulated sediment in the channel that borders between the City of Alexandria and Arlington County is required to maintain conveyance capacity for the channel. Evaluation for areas requiring dredging to re-establish the required freeboard was performed in Spring of 2018 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). City staff have been coordinating with its partner Arlington County staff in the development of the design plan to remove sediment with an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to be issued for the work to be done in CY 2021. If approved, the City would receive the 63% cost-share for $1.4 million - based on the most recent design cost estimate - for the FY 2020 Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) for the new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) pre-disaster mitigation grant for the Four Mile Run Sediment Dredging channel maintenance project to remove accumulated sediment from the flood channel and restore the 100-year conveyance capacity to protect nearby properties from flooding.
FISCAL IMPACT: FEMA requires funds to be available at the time of application in early CY 2021. Four Mile Run Maintenance project already exists in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) as this flood channel requires ongoing maintenance. The BRIC application cost share, if approved by FEMA in July 2021, would cover 63% of the project or $1.4 million with the City funding 37% or $0.83 million for the project of the overall current cost estimate shared between the City and Arlington County, with the City’s portion totaling $2.23 million of the $4.47 million of the dredging project total being shared 50/50 with Arlington County. If this grant is awarded it will free up City’s Four Mile Run dredging monies that can be applied to other Alexandria side needed Four Mile Run flood control improvements, as well as, potentially other storm water projects in the City.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment: Resolution
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Yon Lambert, Director, Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES)
Morgan Routt, Director, OMB
William J. Skrabak, Deputy Director, T&ES, Infrastructure and Environmental Quality
Jesse E. Maines, Division Chief, T&ES, Stormwater Management
Arthur Wicks, Capital Improvement Program Manager, OMB
Tarrence Moorer, Division Chief, T&ES, SMS