AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Receive a staff presentation and consider approval of Resolution 2021-145R, approving Substantial Amendment No. 11 to the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Action Plan to reallocate project funding; authorizing the City Manager to act as the official representative of the City in matters related to the CDBG-DR program and action plan; and declaring an effective date.
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Meeting date: August 3, 2021
Department: Planning and Development Services
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Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: City Council held a public hearing for this proposed amendment on July 6, 2021.
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Background Information:
Substantial Amendment No. 11 to the CDBG-DR Action Plan is proposed to reallocate funding to the Midtown/Aquarena Springs stormwater infrastructure project, as described in the Staff Recommendation section below.
On June 20 a notice describing the proposed changes was published in English and Spanish in the San Marcos Daily Record. This notice announced that a public hearing would be held at the Tuesday, July 6, City Council meeting, and that the Action Plan showing the proposed changes would be available for public comment from July 11 through July 25. The notice also stated that the City Council will vote on August 3, after staff presents any comments received.
A redlined CDBG-DR Action Plan draft and updated Appendix I, as well as the currently approved Action Plan and all other appendices, can be found on the City’s website: <http://sanmarcostx.gov/3163/Disaster-Recovery-DR-Action-Plan>
MIDTOWN PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The project area is located east of the intersection at IH-35 and Loop 82/Aquarena Springs Drive, and is generally bounded by development along Aquarena Springs on the north, IH-35 on the west, Davis Lane on the south, and the Blanco River on the east. This project will reduce the likelihood of flooding in this area. The area falls within one census tract in which 84.13% of the residents have low-to-moderate incomes.
Historically, the Loop 82/Aquarena Springs intersection is known to flood in major rainfall events. A preliminary engineering study of the land contours indicates that the low point in the intersection is located just east of the northbound IH 35 feeder road. Stormwater that drains to this low point is not able to reach the TxDOT drainage ditch and drain south as it was designed.
Based on this data, the recommended improvements to remedy this include curb cuts and inlet improvements adjacent to the low point location combined with an inlet to send water from the north side of the road away from the intersection.
Clean-out, minor excavation, and reshaping of the TxDOT ditch vegetation that is currently overgrown may be completed in order to restore the ditch to the original design capacity and convey the necessary stormwater in major and minor rainfall events for the area. Additionally, the channel’s culvert crossing at Davis Road may be modified by adding two additional 8’x 4’ culverts to increase the capacity of this crossing. Proposed plans also include bank stabilization repairs and new culverts at the railroad overpass at River Road.
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Recommendation:
Staff recommends approving Substantial Amendment No. 11 to the CDBG-DR Action Plan to reallocate funding to the Midtown/Aquarena Springs stormwater infrastructure project, as follows:
1) Move approximately $175,000 in unused funding from the Public Housing Authority project and close the project, since the Housing Authority has been paid for all eligible expenses.
2) Move approximately $1 million from the Blanco Riverine project. This does not change the scope of the Blanco Riverine project. Construction for this project will be paid by the CDBG-Mitigation grant. Design is complete and acquisition is well underway, enabling closer estimates of CDBG-DR funded project costs to be made and money to be shifted to the Midtown/Aquarena Springs project.
3) Move $1,175,000 to the Midtown/Aquarena Springs Project. This increased funding for the Midtown project will enable additional bank stabilization to be completed and will cover current estimated project costs.