NewCityLogo-August2008

Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager

 
 

Date

June 8, 2009

 

Agenda Item No.         20

Roll Call No.                09-

Communication No.    09-369

Submitted by:  Jeb E. Brewer, P.E.,

                          City Engineer

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Accepting Community Disaster Grant award from the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division and authorizing voluntary acquisition of flood prone properties.

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Recommend acceptance of Community Disaster Grant award from the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division and authorizing voluntary acquisition of flood prone properties.  These actions are required before presenting offers to property owners.

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount:  $345,396.36

 

Funding Source:  Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

 

Last year, City staff completed assessments of structures in the Birdland and Four Mile Creek areas that were impacted by the floods of 2008.  Staff contacted property owners to determine their willingness to participate in a buy-out program.  As a result, multiple properties have been identified that are eligible to participate in a voluntary buy-out program.  These properties are zoned “U-1” Floodplain District or “FW” Floodway District.  These zoning districts were developed to protect the health and welfare of the public from the impacts of frequent flooding.  Development in these districts is severely limited.  The reconstruction of these properties would be restricted and possibly prohibited by the City’s Zoning Ordinance.

 

The City has been pursuing funds to buy out flood prone properties.  To date the City has acquired 14 properties in the Birdland and Four Mile Areas with an additional twelve properties identified for voluntary acquisition under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).  The Community Disaster Grant Program shall be used for disaster related costs to continue the acquisition of properties that have not received funding from other federal or non-federal sources. 

 

On February 6, 2009, the City of Des Moines submitted a Community Disaster Grant Program application to the Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Division (IHSEMD) in order to be eligible for consideration to apply for Community Disaster Grant Program funds.  In March of 2009, the City of Des Moines submitted the Community Disaster Grant applications, which were approved by the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division in late May 2009.  Offers to affected property owners will be made after this approval by City Council. 

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S): 

 

Date:  March 23, 2009

 

Roll Call Number:  09-475

 

Action:              Authorization to submit Community Disaster Grant Applications to the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division.  (Council Communication No.  09-174)  Moved by Hensley to adopt.  Motion Carried 5-2.

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):  NONE

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:  NONE

 

 

 

 

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive.  Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting.  Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.