Flood Mitigation Program
NAFSMA
July 24, 2008
Robert Billings, PE, PH, CFM
Project Manager
Flood Mitigation Program
Serve the Citizens of Mecklenburg County by
Reducing the Potential For Loss Of Life and
Property due to Flooding, While Enhancing the
Natural and Beneficial Functions Of The
Floodplain.
Floodplain Statistics:
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320 miles of streams
Mapped in 70’s by FEMA
Remapped in 2004 by
Mecklenburg County and
FEMA
4000+ structures in the
floodplain
Average Precipitation: 40
inches per year
Record Maximum
Precipitation: 22 inches in
24 hours (1916 estimate)
Probable Maximum
Precipitation: About 33
inches
Building a Flood Mitigation Program
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Identify the Need.
Identify Funding Sources.
Identify Sources of Land Use
Information.
Identify Personnel.
Outreach & Public Participation
Identify the Need
Flooding History in
Charlotte-Mecklenburg
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August 1995 – Tropical
Storm Jerry
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9 Inches of Rain
$6 Million in Damages
July 1997 – Hurricane
Danny
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13 Inches of Rain
$60 Million in Damages
3 Deaths
Flooding History in
Charlotte-Mecklenburg
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2004 Frances, $1.5M
in losses along
Catawba River
2005 Little Hope
Creek flooding
2006 Irwin, Little
Sugar and Briar Creek
(4 floods)
Flood Hazard
Mitigation
Report
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Completion of Flood
Hazard Mitigation
Reports
The most urbanized
watersheds
Flood Hazard Mitigation Report
Flood Hazard Mitigation Report
Flood Hazard Mitigation Report
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The Flood Hazard Mitigation Reports
have been used…
…to prioritize flood mitigation dollars
by removing the highest risk flood
properties first.
…guide grant submittals.
…have also been uploaded to e-grants
in support of our grant submittals.
Identify Funding Sources
Funding…
•Funding Sources:
Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)
Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
Local Funds (Quick Buys)
Cost Share

Most Federal grant programs require a 75% federal and 25% non
federal cost share
 NOT more than 50% of the non-federal share can be provided
from in-kind services
The Storm Water Fee
All owners of developed property are charged the fee.
The amount of impervious surface is used to calculate
the fee structure.
Stand-alone fee makes reliable income available for
addressing flooding, erosion and pollution problems.
The fee revenue enables the community to leverage
local dollars with outside funding.
Mitigation Grant Programs
Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA):
The FMA program provides funding to assist in implementing
measures to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood
damage to structures insurable under the National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP).
FMA was created with the goal of reducing or eliminating
claims under the NFIP. FMA is a pre-disaster grant program.
Mitigation Grant Programs
Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM):
The PDM program will provide funds to states, territories,
Indian tribal governments, and communities for hazard
mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation
projects prior to a disaster event.
PDM grants are to be awarded on a competitive basis and
without reference to state allocations, quotas, or other
formula-based allocation of funds.
Mitigation Grant Programs
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP):
HMGP grants are generally considered post flood grants. HMGP funds are based upon
moneys set aside by the Federal or State Governments to mitigation losses from a flood
event.
In past years, HMGP funds have waived the B/C requirements for structures in Floodways
Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC):
The Repetitive Flood Claims provides funding to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of
flood damage to structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
RFC grants are to be awarded on a competitive basis and without reference to state
allocations, quotas, or other formula-based allocation of funds.
Only acquisition of insured properties is eligible. All RFC grants are eligible for up to 100
percent Federal cost assistance if the community cannot meet the requirements of the Flood
Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program because they cannot provide the non-Federal cost
share, or do not have the capacity to manage the activities.
National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP)
If Sub-applicants have been identified through the NFIP as
having a Special Flood Hazard Area, and a Flood Hazard
Boundary Map or Flood Insurance Rate Map has been
issued for their specific jurisdiction, they must be
participating in the NFIP and not on probation, suspended, or
withdrawn from the NFIP to be eligible for the PDM program.
Eligible Activities
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Acquisition of insured structures
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Elevation of insured residential structures
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Elevation or Dry-Floodproofing of insured non-residential structures
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Minor flood control projects
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Planning activities that develop a FEMA approved Flood Mitigation Plan
Ineligible Activities
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Major Flood Control projects
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Dry Flood proofing of residential structures
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Demo/Rebuild projects
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Phased or partial projects
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Maintenance or repair projects
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Generators or related equipment
Identify Sources of Land Use Information
Data, Information, and Records
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Tax Cards
Elevation Certificates
Flood Insurance Claims
Land Use Information
Community Flood Information
Community History
Flood Insurance Rate Maps
Flood Insurance Study
RS Means Square Foot
Costs
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Maps
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General Vicinity Map
USGS Topo Quads
Flood Profiles
Photos (Front and Rear)
Statement of Voluntary
Participation
Statements from the
Community
All Data has to be Digital…
Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA)
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Sub-applicants are required to perform a BCA for
each property, including repetitive flood loss and
substantially damaged properties.
A BCA of 1 or greater is required to be cost
beneficial
Identify Personnel
Flood Mitigation “Team”
•Grant preparation
•Grant administration
•Contract administration
Flood Mitigation
•Demolition Contracts
•Contract Management
•Property Management
Engineering
Operations
•Environmental Management
•Demolition
•Site Restoration
Communications
Consultants
Property
Owners
State
Your Boss
Flood Hazard
Mitigation Project
Manager
Attorneys,
Accountants, &
Appraisers.
Outreach & Public Participation
Outreach
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Flood Mitigation Programs must have the support of
the community.
Public Meetings
Stakeholder Groups
City Councils
Town Boards
County Governments
Outreach
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Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte
identify possible stakeholder groups early in the
Flood Mitigation Process.
Public meetings are generally held in the affected
community.
Political groups such as the Storm Water Advisory
Committee are keep updated and engaged.
Outreach

Most of the
County’s
Floodplain
Information
is “mirrored”
to our
website.
Outreach

Citizens will
often read
through our
website
information
prior to calling
us.
Building a Flood Mitigation Program
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A successful Flood Mitigation
Program Requires
Political Support
Public Support
Money
Resources
Tenacity
Flood Mitigation 101
Questions?
Flood Mitigation Program
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Commitment at the Top
"The County Commission herein finds that the
public the
policy
of Mecklenburg
County is that County
our
Serve
Citizens
of Mecklenburg
by
surface waters --- creeks, tributaries, ponds and
Reducing
the Potential For Loss Of Life and
lakes --- are a natural resource to be protected as a
source of natural
and recreation.
Property
due tobeauty
Flooding,
While Enhancing
the Natural and Beneficial Functions Of The
Floodplain.
Further, that the use of our creeks, tributaries,
ponds and lakes as a stormwater disposal method
shall be secondary to the preservation of creeks,
tributaries, ponds and lakes.”
Current Flood Mitigation Activities…
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Phase 2 of Mecklenburg County’s Flood Hazard
Mitigation Program
Follow the recommendations of the Flood Hazard
Mitigation Plan.
Acquisition
Outreach
Improved Maps
Flood warning
Prevention of unsafe building practices
Westfield Road
Flood
Mitigation
Program
History
2006-2007
Acquisitions
•1317 and 1321
Reese Road
•308 and 312
Rocklyn Place
•3243 Westfield
Road
Flood Mitigation
Program History
2006-2007 Acquisitions
•1317 and 1321 Reese Road
•308 and 312 Rocklyn Place
•3243 Westfield Road
Buyout Program
Westfield Road: Flooding – Demolition – Open Space— Environmental Restoration & Greenway Trail
Westfield Road
Flood
Mitigation
Current
Initiatives
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Cullman Avenue Buyout
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12 Commercial Properties
Federal Share: $2,096,000
Local Share: $704,000
Total Project Costs: $2,800,000
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Flood Mitigation
Current Initiatives
Cullman Avenue Buyout
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12 Commercial Properties
Federal Share: $2,096,000
Local Share: $704,000
Total Project Costs: $2,800,000
Flood Mitigation
Current Initiatives
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Cavalier Apartments Buyout
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Two individual PDM Grants
180 Rental Properties
Federal Share: $5,442,000
Local Share: $2,351,000
Total Project Costs: $7,793,000
Flood Mitigation
Accomplishments
Years 2000 - 2007
 160 buildings removed from the
floodplain (90% participate)
 80 acres of deeded public open
space
 Buyout Funding (Awarded)
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$14.1M - Federal Funds
$1.7M - State Funds
$8.9M - Local Storm Water Funds
35 additional buildings &
40 acres of open space within the
floodplain through efforts with
Real Estate Services
Where do we go
from here?
Elevation Certificates
•We currently have
approximately 3000
homes in the
floodplain
Where do we go
from here?
Flood Insurance
Claims
•Yellow triangles
represent a single
claim
•Orange triangles
represent multiple
claims
Where do we go
from here?
Study Locations
•Green dots show
possible buyout
locations
•Benefit cost ratios are
greater than 1.4
Where do we
go from here?
Possible future
acquisition areas
•Green dots show
projects with B/C
ratios greater than
1.4
Norwood Drive/Coronet Way Area
Purser Drive and Jennie Linn Drive
Purser Drive and Jennie Linn Drive
Shannonhouse and Kildare Drive
Dolphin Lane
PDM 2008 ….Planning
Address
Shamrock
Hills
Est. Cost to acquire and
demolish
2236
PURSER
DR
$82,650
2219
PURSER
DR
$75,150
2225
PURSER
DR
$77,250
2231
PURSER
DR
$74,250
2237
PURSER
DR
$79,650
2230
PURSER
DR
$78,600
2224
PURSER
DR
$78,750
2218
PURSER
DR
$88,500
2217
JENNIE LINN
DR
$90,000
2223
JENNIE LINN
DR
$93,300
2235
JENNIE LINN
DR
$78,000
2224
JENNIE LINN
DR
$86,100
2218
JENNIE LINN
DR
$132,750
Estimated Project Cost: $1,115,000
PDM 2008 ….Planning
Address
Shannon
Park
Est. Cost to acquire and
demolish
1726
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$190,800
1720
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$203,580
1714
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$182,340
1812
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$207,000
1806
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$188,280
1800
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$174,420
1750
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$201,420
1744
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$201,600
1738
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$182,160
1732
SHANNONHOUSE
DR
$198,000
Estimated Project Cost: $2,000,000
PDM 2008 ….
Coronet Way and
Norwood Road
Est. Cost to acquire and
demolish
Address
2753
CORONET
WY
$114,200
2759
CORONET
WY
$116,400
835
NORWOOD
RD
$123,000
831
NORWOOD
RD
$93,000
816
NORWOOD
RD
$101,000
Estimated Project Cost: $547,600
Future Flood Mitigation Activities…
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Phase 3 of Mecklenburg County’s Flood Hazard
Mitigation Program
Update the Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan
Continue Acquisitions (where possible)
Improved Maps (Local Map Mod)
Enhanced flood warning systems
Explore other mitigation techniques
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Creative Funding Opportunities
Elevations
Flood proofing techniques
Little Sugar Creek Floodplain
Westfield Road
Thank You
BEFORE
MITIGATION
AFTER