TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kristoff Bauer, ICMA-CM, Deputy City Manager
FROM: Sheila Thomas-Ambat, PE, Public Services Director
John Larch, P.E., Assistant City Engineer / Stormwater Manager
DATE: January 14, 2020
RE:
Title
Drainage Assistance Program Update
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 3: High Quality Built Environment
Goal 4: Desirable Place to Live, Work and Recreate
Executive Summary:
Per the direction of City Council, staff initiated a plan for a Drainage Assistance Program to help citizens with drainage problems located outside of the City right-of-way. Staff will provide an update on the progress of the program.
Background:
Stormwater infrastructure consists of a network of catch basins, drop inlets, swales, pipes, and stormwater control measures (SCM’s) that carry stormwater runoff away from roadways and property, ultimately discharging it into creeks and streams. A high level preliminary analysis of City stormwater records indicates approximately 52% of stormwater pipes and network structures are in the public right-of-way and 48% are outside the City right-of-way. Approximately 94% of streams and ditches are outside the City right-of-way.
In June 2019, Council approved a revision to the Stormwater ordinance that makes it clear that the City’s responsibility is to maintain stormwater infrastructure within the City right-of-way. In September 2019, Council approved the Drainage Assistance Program to address stormwater problems outside of the City right-of-way. The program, described in an ordinance amendment, outlines specific standardized eligibility criteria. It also established two categories of projects: Smaller projects that can be completed with City maintenance staff in 2-3 days and larger projects that require design and will be completed by a contractor. The more complex projects found to meet the criteria will be prioritized and provided to the Stormwater Advisory Board (SWAB) for review and approval on an annual basis. Upon approval, projects will be designed and constructed as part of the existing stormwater project management process.
Upon approval of the Drainage Assistance Program, City staff negotiated a contract with a local engineering consulting firm, Gradient, to start up the program until staff could be put in place to assume full responsibility. The initial efforts have been focused in identifying projects as either “eligible” or “not eligible”. At the start of this effort, there were approximately 160 requests for assistance which had been back logged with additional requests being presented daily. As of January 3, 2020, there were 302 requests on the list. Gradient has been evaluating these projects since late September and had submitted initial reports for 230 of the requests as of January 3, 2020.
Staff will present an update on the number of total requests, as well as the number that have been determined to be eligible, not eligible, or require further investigation. A very preliminary cost estimate will also be provided for the eligible projects.
Issues/Analysis:
Approximately 67% of the drainage assistance requests evaluated so far have been determined to be ineligible under the criteria Council adopted in the ordinance. This news may be seen as unfavorable by some citizens.
Notification letters to individual citizens will begin going out in January 2020. An initial list of eligible projects will be presented to the Stormwater Advisory Board for review and approval in February 2020.
Budget Impact:
The fiscal year 2020 budget includes $1.8 million for the program. Early indications are that there will be approximately $1 to 2 million of projects from the eligible requests provided since September 2018. This includes consulting costs for design and contract management. This cost estimate does not include any of the approximately 67% of projects deemed ineligible.
Until the City has moved through a full annual cycle of running this program, it is difficult to estimate an appropriate budget request to support it for the long term. However, assuming a fully staffed City maintenance crew is in place by July 2020, an appropriation of $500,000 may be suitable for FY21.
Council will set the budget for this program as part of the annual budget process. The current storm water budget model does not include funding for the Drainage Assistance Program. Staff is seeking guidance on an appropriate amount of funding moving forward.
Options:
N/A
Recommended Action:
N/A.
Attachments:
• Drainage Assistance Program Update