Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water
Advisory Committee
May 21, 2015
______________________________________________________
FY16 RARR Plan Implementation Guide
Action:
Endorse FY16 Flood Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction
Plan Implementation Guide
Staff Resource:
David Kroening
Policy Impact:
None
Explanation:
Storm Water Services Engineering & Mitigation Program
manages one of the most proactive flood mitigation programs in the nation. From
1999-2014, the County has invested more than $58Million in the acquisition and
demolition of 370 floodprone buildings. Historically, the buyout program has
averaged $4.0M per year in FEMA, state, and local funding. Currently the annual
allocation to the Flood Mitigation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is $2.9M.
Fund balance and unspent funds from the prior year are added to create the annual
CIP budget. The FY16 CIP budget is estimated to be $5.5M ($4.0M Local and
$1.5M FEMA funding) for flood mitigation projects.
Prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, staff evaluate and prioritize floodprone
properties to determine the best candidates for mitigation in the coming year. The
basis for the prioritization process is the Risk Assessment Risk Reduction
(RARR) Plan, which was endorsed by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water
Advisory Committee (SWAC) and approved by the Mecklenburg Board of
County Commissioners (BOCC) in 2012. The plan’s purpose is to aid in
identifying structures at greatest risk to flooding and evaluate planning level
options for mitigation actions. Staff evaluate the individual building results,
assimilate potential implementation areas, identify potential FEMA grant eligible
properties, and coordinate with partner agencies before implementation. Any
high ranking properties that need further investigation (typically apartment
complexes and commercial buildings) are also identified by this process. All this
information is summarized in the FY16 RARR Plan Implementation.
Attachments:
FY16 RARR Plan Implementation Guide
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water
Advisory Committee
May 21, 2015
______________________________________________________
New RetroFIT Program Policy Document
Action:
Endorse general concepts contained within the RetroFIT
Program Policy Document
Staff Resource:
David Goode
Policy Impact:
New program would provide financial and technical
assistance to floodplain property owners so they can implement flood damage
reduction techniques to their structures.
Explanation:
Storm Water Services Engineering & Mitigation Program
manages one of the most proactive flood mitigation programs in the nation. From
1999-2014, the County has invested more than $58Million in the acquisition and
demolition of 370 floodprone buildings. The FY16 CIP budget is estimated to be
$5.5M ($4.0M Local and $1.5M FEMA funding) for flood mitigation projects.
For FY16 staff is proposing to launch a new program, RetroFIT (Floodproofing ●
Improvements ● Together), that will aid floodplain property owners in making
their dwellings more resilient to flood damage. Some floodprone properties are
not cost-effective to acquire or are not eligible for FEMA grants. Thus, they
continue to suffer short- and long-term flood damage when local creeks rise. The
purpose of SWS’s RetroFIT program is to fill this gap in services by providing
financial and technical assistance to floodplain owners that do not qualify for
FEMA mitigation grants or buy-outs.
In June 2014, the North Carolina Legislature adopted NC GS153A 274.1,
allowing Mecklenburg County to use storm water fees to implement flood
damage reduction techniques that result in improvements to private property. As
required by the legislation, staff will present a policy document to the BOCC for
approval in July.
In FY16, the RetroFIT program will debut as a pilot program, offering grants to
owners to cover 75%-90% of the mitigation project cost. Initially $250k of the
$4.0M FY16 Flood Mitigation CIP budget will be dedicated to the program. Staff
will use the RARR as a guide for decision-making under the RetroFIT program.
Attachments:
Draft RetroFIT Program Policy Document