AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Receive a staff presentation and hold a Public Hearing to receive comments for or against proposed Substantial Amendment No. 11 to reallocate project funding in the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Action Plan.
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Meeting date: July 6, 2021
Department: Planning and Development Services
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Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: Please refer to the list of prior amendments in the Background section.
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☒ Environment & Resource Protection - Population Prepared for and resilient to Man-Made & Natural Disasters
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Background Information:
Ten previous amendments have been made to the CDBG-DR Action Plan - some simply to meet HUD requirements and others to add projects to the plan and adjust the budget as needed to fund projects as designs are completed.
1. (HUD Requirements) February 7, 2017 Add quarterly projection of expenditure and performance outcomes to Appendix One
2. (Project Planning) May 16, 2017 Add specific infrastructure projects, add the related quarterly projection of expenditures and performance outcomes, change rental home affordability period to five years
3. (HUD Requirements) August 1, 2017 Change income eligibility determination method to IRS Adjusted Gross Income, change the public comment period for substantial amendments to fourteen days and HUD notification period to five days
4. (Project Planning) October 17, 2017 Add the Blanco Riverine infrastructure project, Increase Planning budget to $5,069,100 and Administration budget to $1,689,700
5. (Project Planning) January 12, 2018 Increase the hard construction cap for a reconstructed house to $196,000
6. (Project Planning) May 1, 2018 Add construction on a City-owned lot as an approved activity for the single family owner occupied home construction program
7. (Project Planning) September 4, 2018 Add reimbursement to San Marcos Public Housing Authority for flood-related eligible costs up to $864,987
8. (Project Planning) June 4 , 2019 Reallocate funds among projects, create the Single Family Owner Occupied Housing Reimbursement project
9. (HUD Requirements; Project Planning) March 3, 2020 Redefine the eligible service area for all single family housing activities to be the city limits of the City of San Marcos, change the purpose of the Blanco Riverine project funding to acquisition
10. (Project Planning) April 20, 2021 Move Clarewood/Barbara Infrastructure Project expenditure of $177,887.13 to CDBG-DR Administration, move approximately $1 million from Planning Projects to the Blanco Gardens Infrastructure Project, Remove and replace references to a $196,000 cap on hard construction expenses for housing.
Substantial Amendment No. 11 to the CDBG-DR Action Plan is now proposed to reallocate funding to the Midtown/Aquarena Springs stormwater infrastructure project and add a small amount of funding to other projects. CDBG-DR funding is proposed to be reallocated to this 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.
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 and Appendix I are attached to this Agenda Request Form for Council reference. The currently approved Action Plan and all other appendices may 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 is recommended 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 should 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.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
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Recommendation:
The July 6 meeting is for a staff presentation and public hearing, without Council action.