2009-05-18 Special Called Regular Meeting and Workshop of La Porte City Council minutes

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e~;bJ-B FLOODING AND DRAINAGE COMMITTEE MEETING STAFF REPORT UPDATE MAY 18, 2009 1) Status of Residential Buyout Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) secured a federal grant to operate a buyout program and assist up to 42 homeowners in LaPorte who experience repetitive flooding. Using FEMAs Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program, grant funds have been allocated on a 75%-25% match basis with HCFCD providing the 25% match. Participation in the program is voluntary for eligible homeowners. The property is purchased by HCFCD for fair market value, and a restriction is placed upon the property to prohibit any building construction thereafter. After demolition of site improvements, the property is graded to drain properly. Any previous sidewalks remain or are reconstructed. After acquisition, the property is owned and maintained by HCFCD or a public agency, and can be used for open space, drainage, detention, or other park purposes. Through a specific agreement process, HCFCD may consider use of the property by a community association. The program included 42 homes, 35 of which are in the Brookglen area (See map attached as exhibit 1). At this time, 9 demolition permits have been issued in Brookglen (Beginning January 2009 to May 2009). 6 homes have been removed with lots regraded. 2) Status of 12 drainage projects In the City Wide Drainage Study conducted by Klotz & Associates, twelve proposed drainage improvement projects, overflow relief swales in combination with outfall and inlet improvements, were identified for relatively quick implementation by the city. Of these twelve projects, the City of La Porte was to design in-house seven of the projects with the remaining five being outsourced. At this time, Planning Department staff has completed the design of six of the seven in-house projects and Public works has constructed three. Public Works has augmented the cleaning the ditches before hurricane season, especially in areas along Galveston Bay. Once these areas have been addressed the Public Works will construct two additional completed designs. The seventh design to be engineered in house will be completed June 1, 2009. (Attached is the matrix of the seven projects as exhibit 2) The other design projects are being outsourced with Klotz and Associates, of which two construction contracts have been awarded. 3) Broadway to Bay Drainage Plan Portions of the bayfront area, south of Little Cedar Bayou have historically developed with drainage systems flowing away from Galveston Bay towards Taylor Bayou. The design of those systems in what is now LaPorte, was most likely due to a gradual ridgeline that occurs between Taylor Bayou and the bay, very near the shoreline. The city is developing a plan to reverse the