TITLE: Title
Follow-up to January 12th Discussion of Stormwater and Flooding
PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to provide the Board of Aldermen an opportunity to review costs of hydrologic studies and consider strategies for gathering public input on community experiences and concerns related to stormwater and flooding.
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DEPARTMENT: Public Works, Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: JD Freeman, Director of Public Works, 918-7427, jfreeman@townofcarrboro.org <mailto:jfreeman@townofcarrboro.org>; Trish McGuire, Planning Director, 919-918-7327, pmcguire@townofcarrboro.org
INFORMATION: On January 12, 2016, staff provided the Board of Aldermen with an update on flooding mitigation projects. During that meeting staff discussed information received about flooding around town in December, the Town’s response, and the status of the applications for Hazard Mitigation Grant Project funding. (Meeting agenda URL is https://carrboro.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=454338&GUID=B57317F4-15B3-4004-A112-D39853F651A0&Options=&Search=). The Board of Aldermen asked staff to follow up on a number of items. This agenda item focuses on two follow-up items as requested from that meeting:
1) Hydrology Study
2) Development of a Systematic Community Engagement Plan by the End of May
Town Engineer, Henry Wells, is preparing a report with details of the flooding concerns and hydrologic study costs. A draft of the report is attached. A presentation on Tuesday night will also include information on recommendations and prioritization of further studies of the areas of concern. Costs associated with most of the noted improvements may be found in the May 2019 report ( see <https://carrboro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2288740&GUID=0B2EA271-314B-4ED8-8A38-0E199F87A49F&Options=&Search>=) and in the Town’s Capitol Improvements Program 2015-2012 (see page 32 at <http://www.townofcarrboro.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2564>). Staff expects that the Board will consider this information and decide how it wishes to proceed (e.g. advance all the studies, establish a schedule for proceeding with the studies in relation to types of flooding impacts, or another approach).
Staff has not yet prepared a full citizen engagement plan, but has begun to consider the following engagement strategies as a means of gathering more information from residents about flooding and stormwater concerns. Initially, staff has identified two strategies for engaging the community in providing information. The first is development of an on-line, “3-1-1”- type application where residents and property owners will be able to enter information about flooding locations, type, date, severity. It is anticipated that this application could be developed and ready to launch in May 2016. The application will allow photos and other information to be uploaded. The second strategy will be one or more drop-in community meetings where information will be gathered, using maps, devices where flooding incidents can be entered into the 311 application. Follow-up site visits would be arranged to investigate further the circumstances. More details on these proposed actions and other items noted on January 12th will be provided in future agenda reports.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: The fiscal impact will vary in relation to the scope and timing of action in follow-up to this discussion.
RECOMMENDATION:r It is recommended that the Board of Aldermen consider the information and direct staff regarding follow-up.