Consideration and Approval of Contract:  Cedar Avenue Culvert Improvement Project, a grant agreement between the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA) and the City of Flagstaff.
 

The Museum Fire occurred in June 2019, burning approximately 2000 acres of the headwaters of Spruce Wash. The subsequent post-fire flash floods caused considerable damage to the Grandview and Sunnyside neighborhoods in July and August of 2021. Subsequent to these floods the voters approved Proposition 441 in November, 2022. Prop 441 provides $26 million of bond funding for a suite of flood mitigation projects in the Spruce Wash corridor. The funding, however, is insufficient to complete the full suite of projects. Stormwater staff have diligently been applying and lobbying for external funding, including this Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) opportunity through FEMA. This successful grant provides $990,000 of Federal funding for the upsizing of the Cedar Avenue culvert at Spruce Wash, one project within the Spruce Wash suite of projects. The City share ($960,495) will come from the bond funding.

This successful grant provides $990,000 of Federal funding for the upsizing of the Cedar Avenue culvert at Spruce Wash, one project within the Spruce Wash suite of projects. The City share ($960,495) will come from the bond funding in Proposition 441, passed by voters in November 2022. The Cedar to Linda Vista Channel project is budget in account 410-08-685-3525-3 for $2,559,852 in FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25 $1,725,298.

Priority Based Budgeting Priorities

• Sustainable, Innovative Infrastructure: Deliver outstanding services to residents through a healthy, well maintained infrastructure system
• High Performing Governance: Enhance the organization’s fiscal stability & increase efficiency & effectiveness

Regional Plan:

• Goal WR.2.2 Maintain and develop facilities to provide reliable, safe and cost-effective stormwater services.

Carbon Neutrality Plan

• Community Resilience: Ensure all mitigation actions improve Flagstaff’s ability to adapt to the future.
• Community Resilience: Strengthen existing community systems to create resilience to both short-term shocks and long-term change.

There has not been Council decisions on this specific project, however there have been decisions on the greater suite of projects including:

• 12/7/2021: passage of Ordinance 2021-24 for acquisition of drainage easements related to Spruce Wash/Museum Fire.
• 4/19/2022: ratification of Spruce Wash channel improvements near Dortha Avenue.
• 7/5/2022: Approval of an administrative floodplain overlay in post-fire impacted areas of Spruce Wash.

1) Approve this grant agreement with AZ DEMA for the award of $990,000 of Federal funding for Cedar Avenue Culvert Improvements.
2) Reject this grant agreement, staff will explore other funding options for this needed drainage improvement as part of the Spruce Wash suite of projects.

The Museum Fire burned in June 2019, causing subsequent post-fire flash flooding in 2021. Proposition 441 was passed overwhelmingly by voters (76% support) in November 2022 to help fund drainage improvements in Grandview and Sunnyside to lessen the risk of post-fire flooding. Prop 441 provides $26M of bond funding for a suite of drainage improvements, however the total cost of the suite of projects now exceeds $30M. The gap in funding is being examined by staff with the Stormwater Section taking upon themselves to write multiple grants. This particular grant was written in late 2022, early 2023 and was recently awarded through FEMA's HMGP grant mechanism. Other grant proposals are in the works to continue to bridge the funding gap.

Prop 441 provides $26M of bond funding for a suite of drainage improvements, however the total cost of the suite of projects now exceeds $30M. The gap in funding is being examined by staff with the Stormwater Section taking upon themselves to write multiple grants. This particular grant was written in late 2022, early 2023 and was recently awarded through FEMA's HMGP grant mechanism. The Federal share of this successful grant is $990,000. Other grant proposals are in the works to continue to bridge the funding gap.

The Spruce Wash suite of projects is intended to upsize the drainage infrastructure from near City limits to Killip Elementary School. The design will alleviate the flood risk from a 2 inch rain storm in 45 minutes (roughly a 25 year storm, or 4% annual exceedance probability storm). This grant will provide partial funding for the upsizing of the Cedar Avenue culvert, one of the projects within the suite of projects.

The community receives regular updates through online newsletters, social media, Council flood updates, and community townhalls for the Museum Fire.