Consideration and Adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-22:  An ordinance authorizing the acquisition of real property interests necessary for the Fanning Wash Culvert at Steves Blvd Project, providing for delegation of authority, subsequent council approvals, severability, and establishing an effective date. 
 
 

The Fanning Wash Culvert at Steves Blvd is undersized for a 100-year flood event. The Fanning Wash Culvert at Steves Blvd Project will remove the existing three 48" culverts underneath Steves Boulevard and replace them with a double barrel 8'x4' concrete box. This will increase the flow rate of Fanning Wash underneath the street and mitigate flooding risks. In order to construct the inlet for the concrete box, an additional drainage easement is necessary on the western adjacent property located at 2351 E Forest Heights Dr. Negotiations with the property owner to acquire the additional drainage easement are ongoing and productive. Construction is currently planned for FY27.

Project Name: Spot Improvement Program
Account Number Budgeted: 206-08-385-3598-0-4432.  There is no budget in this program.   The budget will be reallocated from 206-08-331-1257-0 to fund this purchase.

Expected expenses to complete the transaction: $40,000

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1. Do not approve the ordinance and do not construct the project as designed

The culverts at the intersection of the Fanning Wash and Steves Boulevard in Flagstaff, Arizona were analyzed to determine whether the current conditions in the channel meet the City of Flagstaff requirements. The culverts were the primary area of interest initially since the existing culverts showed debris, sediment and other obstructions preventing flow of stormwater. This led to concerns of possible flooding issues for the surrounding area and potential failure of the drainage network. Through collecting topographic data of the channel, culvert, and roadway necessary characteristics were determined and modeled to show how the current infrastructure performs. From the existing conditions new infrastructure was designed to improve the performance of the channel and culverts found at the intersection of the wash and roadway. To improve the drainage conditions the design team proposed to remove the existing three corrugated metal pipes and instead implement a four foot by seven foot double barrel, concrete lined box culvert. With this implementation the box culverts through models and calculations improve drainage conditions in the wash, and decrease the likelihood of the culvert overtopping onto the roadway in flooding stages. Overall, the purpose of the design was to mitigate flood risks, while improving the drainage network at the upstream portion of the Fanning Wash as it
travels underneath Steves Boulevard by analyzing existing and proposed conditions of the channel and culverts.

The Fanning Wash Flood Control Project directly connects to the City of Flagstaff's Priority Based Budgeting (PBB), specifically maximizing environmental sustainability, public safety, and infrastructure optimization. 

The Fanning Wash Flood Control Project connects to the Flagstaff Regional Plan by implementing the plan's core policies for infrastructure safety, sustainable growth, and watershed management. 
        Infrastructure and Capital Improvements —

• Stormwater Integration: The project links directly to the city's multi-year capital planning goals outlined in the regional framework. 
• Growth and Land Use: By enhancing channel capacity along Fanning Wash between Steves Boulevard and Linda Vista Drive, the project protects existing residential and commercial zones from severe stormwater risks. 

       Environmental and Community Resilience —

• Water Resources: It supports regional directives on managing local drainage basins and waterways safely. 
• Public Safety: The mitigation efforts align with the region plan's safety chapters and waterways safely. 

The Fanning Wash Flood Control Project directly connects to the Flagstaff Carbon Neutrality Plan (CNP) through its role in Climate Change Adaptation and Community Resilience. 
It actively structures adaptation to the environmental crises accelerated by climate change. 

The Fanning Wash Flood Control Project directly connects to the City of Flagstaff's 10-Year Housing Plan by safeguarding the existing housing stock and preserving affordable stock to create or preserve housing units by 2031. The Fanning Wash channel enhancements, including slope modification and vegetation removal, are explicitly designed to reduce flood risk for homes and businesses from severe weather destruction and unlocking previously high-risk land for safe, dense residential development. 
Removing Development Barriers: Prior to flood control improvements, substantial land pockets near major corridors were developable or deemed financially unviable due to high-risk flood zone designations.