R-2016-09 Resolution of the City of La Porte, Texas, Opposing Central Region Alternative #2 (CR#2) of the Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District (GCCPRD)

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RESOLUTION NO. 2016-09 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF LA POR -TE, TEXAS, OPPOSING CENTRAL REGION ALTERNATIVE 42 (CR 4*2) OF THE GULF COAST COMMUNITY PROTECTION ANO RECOVERY DISTRICT (GCCPRD) STORM SUPRESSION STUDY, ANO SUPPORTING CENTRAL REGION ALTERNATIVE #1 (CR #1), ANO PROVIDING FOR THE DELIVERY OF SUCH RESOLUTION TO THE GCCPRO AS WELL AS REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ANO STATE LEGISLATORS THAT REPRESENT LA POR— UE-WHEREAS, the City of La Porte, Texas is a coastal community with 3.1 miles of sea level frontage on Galveston Bay and a significant population of residents, schools, churches and businesses that can be affected by storm surge and sub -tropical coastal rain events, and WHEREAS, The 2008 landfall of Hurricane IKE produced massive flooding and storm surge damage in La Porte, particularly east of State Highway 146, and WHEREAS, The Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District (GCCPRD) has generated potential alternatives for addressing storm surge in the Harris/Galveston County region as detailed in the Phase Two Report, and has asked for public input prior to moving into Phase Three of their study, and WHEREAS, The GCCPRO Phase Two Report indicates that not only would the storm -surge suppression alternative called Central Region Alternative No_ 2 (CR #2) fail to protect areas of La Porte seaward of State Highway 146 similar to the previous Centennial Gate concept to which the City has voiced its opposition, but also specifically fails to protect the Houston Ship Channel areas upstream of the northern portion of La Porte, and WHEREAS, Any unprotected storm surge inundation will not only affect the physical state of improvements of La Porte residents, businesses and industries contending with such an event, but will also have severe impacts on the environment and continued employment at facilities damaged, as well as exacerbating flood insurance costs with increasing depth of flooding for those unprotected by CR #2_ WHEREAS, The City of La Porte again, does not accept the notion that areas of lower elevation seaward of CR #2 within any community fronting Galveston Bay should be considered collateral damage from the impacts of a storm surge, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS THAT= Section 1. City Council finds that the recitals above are true and correct_ Section 2. City Council hereby agrees that industries along the Houston Ship Channel should be protected, but opposes the CR 4*2 concept in its current form due to storm surge impacts that have been represented to disproportionately increase damage for unprotected areas of the City of La Porte, the Houston Ship Channel and communities that front western Galveston Bay. Section 3. City Council fails to recognize now the Benefit Cost figures denoted in the GCCPRD Phase Two Report can find that an unprotected Houston Ship Channel and an unprotected area seaward of State Highway 146 can result in the Higher Benefit Cost Ratio with CR #2 when compared to CR #1_ Section 4. City Council hereby agrees that CR 1#1 is the only proposed alternative that would effectively and equitably protect both the upper areas of the Houston Ship Channel as well as mitigating damage and protecting La Porte and the entire Galveston Bay region_