AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Receive a presentation regarding the formation of a Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Advisory Committee and consider designating some members of the Planning and Zoning Commission to serve on such committee.
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Meeting date: October 13, 2020
Department: Planning and Development Services
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Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: On March 3, 2020, City Council approved Resolution 2020-49R adopting the Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Action Plan, which provides for the allocation of $24,012,000 in grant funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
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Background Information:
The Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funding was received by the City of San Marcos from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in connection with the 2015 flood damage. The purpose of this $24,012,000 is to decrease the risks associated with flooding in San Marcos. After a needs assessment, staff drafted an Action Plan that was approved by City Council on March 3, 2020, and by HUD on June 3, 2020.
The Action Plan includes the following categories of activities. Based on engineering studies, projects have been selected by staff within these categories:
Repetitive Loss Infrastructure $16,000,000
Land Preservation Program $2,849,600
Hazard Warning System $300,000
Signs & Barricades $60,000
Planning $3,601,800
Administration $1,200,600
Total $24,012,000
As a next step after approval of the CDBG-MIT Action Plan, federal regulations (84 FR 45838) require the City to create a Citizen Advisory Committee in order to:
1) provide increased transparency in the implementation of CDBG-MIT funds,
2) solicit and respond to public comment and input regarding the grantee’s mitigation activities, and
3) serve as an on-going public forum to continuously inform the grantee’s CDBG-MIT projects and programs.
This committee must be made up of citizens, not elected officials, and shall hold an open meeting at least twice annually.
On September 15, 2020, staff received direction from City Council to open the opportunity to serve on this committee to all Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission Members and two Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Members. Therefore, at the P&Z meeting October 13, 2020, and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting October 15, 2020, staff will be asking for volunteers to serve on this committee.
This committee will meet periodically to receive information prior to formal selection of projects and for progress reports along the way.
The charges for this committee will be the following:
1) Transparency: Advise staff on best means of keeping the public informed about progress on the projects, especially those most affected by the scope of each project.
2) Input: Consider and discuss the actual and perceived impacts of the projects on neighborhoods.
3) Forum: In the context of the projects that have been selected for CDBG-MIT funds, consider whether something has been missed that should be considered in their implementation.
For more information: The following is an excerpt from Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 169 / Friday, August 30, 2019 / Notices relating to the creation of the committee:
V.A.3.c. Availability and accessibility of the action plan and the use of citizen advisory groups. The grantee must make the action plan, any substantial amendments, and all performance reports available to the public on its website and on request. In addition, the grantee must make these documents available in a form accessible to persons with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency. During the term of the grant, the grantee will provide citizens, affected local governments, and other interested parties with reasonable and timely access to information and records relating to the action plan and to the grantee’s use of grant funds.
Following approval of the action plan, each grantee shall form one or more citizen advisory committees that shall meet in an open forum not less than twice annually in order to provide increased transparency in the implementation of CDBG-MIT funds, to solicit and respond to public comment and input regarding the grantee’s mitigation activities and to serve as an on-going public forum to continuously inform the grantee’s CDBG-MIT projects and programs. The grantee may also choose to form one or more of these committees as part of its process for preparing the initial CDBG-MIT action plan submission to HUD.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
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Alternatives:
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Recommendation:
Staff recommends participation by three to five Planning and Zoning Commission members.