SPECIAL WORK SESSION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
211 WEST ASPEN
10:30 A.M.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2017
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
211 WEST ASPEN
10:30 A.M.
1.
Call to Order
Mayor Evans called the Special Work Session of November 8, 2017, to order at 10:30 a.m.
NOTICE OF OPTION TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION
Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice is hereby given to the members of the City Council and to the general public that, at this work session, the City Council may vote to go into executive session, which will not be open to the public, for legal advice and discussion with the City’s attorneys for legal advice on any item listed on the following agenda, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3).
2.
Pledge of Allegiance and Mission Statement
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the City of Flagstaff is to protect and enhance the quality of life for all.
3.
Roll Call
| NOTE: One or more Councilmembers may be in attendance telephonically or by other technological means. |
| PRESENT: MAYOR EVANS VICE MAYOR WHELAN COUNCILMEMBER BAROTZ COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY |
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBER ODEGAARD COUNCILMEMBER OVERTON COUNCILMEMBER PUTZOVA |
Others present: Deputy City Managers Barbara Goodrich and Shane Dille; City Attorney Sterling Solomon. NAU President Dr. Rita Cheng; NAU Chief of Staff Joanne Keenes.
4.
Overview of the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project.
Mayor Evans welcomed everyone to the tour. She said that they have been talking about the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project for the past 20+ years. She said that when there is a flood, it has been determined that there is a $1 billion negative economic impact. She was excited to have NAU representatives at the meeting since 25-30% of NAU is impacted.
She said that they are in the process of working with the Army Corps of Engineers to obtain funding, but they need help from NAU. She then introduced James Duval, Senior Project Manager and Project Manager for the RDF Flood Control Project.
Mr. Duval said that he would give a brief presentation and then they will continue the meeting on a bus provided by NAIPTA to tour some locations of significance related to the project.
PRESENTATION
Project Location
Project Purpose
Project History
Project Funding
Composite Channel
Questions
PROJECT VICINITY MAP
Mr. Duval reviewed the vicinity map of the project.
PROJECT PURPOSE
Reduce damages and economic losses of a major flood event by containing the 100-year flood within the proposed improvements.
MAP - 100-YEAR FLOOD IMPACT
Mr. Duval explained that completing these projects they will 1) reduce the need or eliminate mandatory flood insurance and provide for increased development in the areas.
PROJECT HISTORY
2000 - Feasibility Report Completed and Project Authorized by WRDA
2004 - City and Army Corps of Engineers Signs Project Cooperative Agreement
2005 - Design of Main Stem Begins
2009 - Clay Wash Detention Basin, Thorpe Bridge & Butler Tunnel Constructed
2012
2015 - Main Stem Design - 90% Complete
PROJECT FUNDING
Current Total Cost Estimate - $106.7M
Spent to Date:
$15.5M by City of Flagstaff
$25.2M by Army Corps of Engineers
Anticipated Remaining City Funding - $36M
Funding/Financing Sources to be determined
PROJECT PATH FORWARD
2016 - WIIN (Water Infrastructure Improvement Act for the Nation) $102,884,000
US Army Corps of Engineers FY17 Work Program Funding - $1M
Complete 100% Plans
Review ADOT Route 66 Bridge Design
Anticipated US Army Corps of Engineers FY18 Funding Request - $32M
Construction of Lower Reach (Butler to North Side of Route 66)
Was told by Army Corps of Engineers that once this was all completed, they would request funding for project from Butler to outside City Hall.
PROJECT CONSTRAINTS
Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR)
Needs to be 1:1 for future Federal Project Funding
2:1 or 3:1 to compete on a National Scale
As costs increase, BCR goes down
BCR - Current is 0.85
Current Design Effort Focus
Reducing Project Contingencies
Value Engineering
Decreasing overall costs to increase BCR
PROJECT UPDATE
08/22/17 Project Update and Listening Meeting
08/29/17 City/Army Corps of Engineers Scope of Work Meeting
09/25/17 Field Tour with Paul Underwood, ACE Design Branch Chief (has great relationis with BNSF)
11/02/17 Friends of the Rio Meeting
OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT:
Composite Channel
He said that they have heard consistently from the public that they want to see runoffs like they see today.
ELEMENTS DESIGN
Recreational Elements
Landscaping & Riparian Elements
Alignment within Right-of-Way
Mr. Duval then reviewed the locations where they would stop on the bus tour.
Vice Mayor Whelan asked what was meant by the term "100 year flood." Stormwater Program Manager Chris Kirkendall explained that it was a 1% chance of that storm happening in any given year. He said that if they put a grid over the entire city with 100 cells, there would be a chance of a storm occurring in that cell every year. He said that this was how they quantifed and qualified storm events through FEMA.
Councilmember McCarthy asked if they could get a larger than 100-year flood if they had a prior forest fire on the west side of the peaks. Mr. Kirkendall said that they could. He said that the City maps up to the 500-year event. That level is not regulated by FEMA, but it is much larger than regulated. He said that they could have an event that was less than 100-year event, and it could produce the same amount of flooding if there had been a previous fire in the same area. He said that fires change the infiltration rate of the soils in the forest.
The meeting recessed at 10:55 a.m.
She said that they are in the process of working with the Army Corps of Engineers to obtain funding, but they need help from NAU. She then introduced James Duval, Senior Project Manager and Project Manager for the RDF Flood Control Project.
Mr. Duval said that he would give a brief presentation and then they will continue the meeting on a bus provided by NAIPTA to tour some locations of significance related to the project.
PRESENTATION
Project Location
Project Purpose
Project History
Project Funding
Composite Channel
Questions
PROJECT VICINITY MAP
Mr. Duval reviewed the vicinity map of the project.
PROJECT PURPOSE
Reduce damages and economic losses of a major flood event by containing the 100-year flood within the proposed improvements.
MAP - 100-YEAR FLOOD IMPACT
Mr. Duval explained that completing these projects they will 1) reduce the need or eliminate mandatory flood insurance and provide for increased development in the areas.
PROJECT HISTORY
2000 - Feasibility Report Completed and Project Authorized by WRDA
2004 - City and Army Corps of Engineers Signs Project Cooperative Agreement
2005 - Design of Main Stem Begins
2009 - Clay Wash Detention Basin, Thorpe Bridge & Butler Tunnel Constructed
2012
2015 - Main Stem Design - 90% Complete
PROJECT FUNDING
Current Total Cost Estimate - $106.7M
Spent to Date:
$15.5M by City of Flagstaff
$25.2M by Army Corps of Engineers
Anticipated Remaining City Funding - $36M
Funding/Financing Sources to be determined
PROJECT PATH FORWARD
2016 - WIIN (Water Infrastructure Improvement Act for the Nation) $102,884,000
US Army Corps of Engineers FY17 Work Program Funding - $1M
Complete 100% Plans
Review ADOT Route 66 Bridge Design
Anticipated US Army Corps of Engineers FY18 Funding Request - $32M
Construction of Lower Reach (Butler to North Side of Route 66)
Was told by Army Corps of Engineers that once this was all completed, they would request funding for project from Butler to outside City Hall.
PROJECT CONSTRAINTS
Benefit to Cost Ratio (BCR)
Needs to be 1:1 for future Federal Project Funding
2:1 or 3:1 to compete on a National Scale
As costs increase, BCR goes down
BCR - Current is 0.85
Current Design Effort Focus
Reducing Project Contingencies
Value Engineering
Decreasing overall costs to increase BCR
PROJECT UPDATE
08/22/17 Project Update and Listening Meeting
08/29/17 City/Army Corps of Engineers Scope of Work Meeting
09/25/17 Field Tour with Paul Underwood, ACE Design Branch Chief (has great relationis with BNSF)
11/02/17 Friends of the Rio Meeting
OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT:
Composite Channel
He said that they have heard consistently from the public that they want to see runoffs like they see today.
ELEMENTS DESIGN
Recreational Elements
Landscaping & Riparian Elements
Alignment within Right-of-Way
Mr. Duval then reviewed the locations where they would stop on the bus tour.
Vice Mayor Whelan asked what was meant by the term "100 year flood." Stormwater Program Manager Chris Kirkendall explained that it was a 1% chance of that storm happening in any given year. He said that if they put a grid over the entire city with 100 cells, there would be a chance of a storm occurring in that cell every year. He said that this was how they quantifed and qualified storm events through FEMA.
Councilmember McCarthy asked if they could get a larger than 100-year flood if they had a prior forest fire on the west side of the peaks. Mr. Kirkendall said that they could. He said that the City maps up to the 500-year event. That level is not regulated by FEMA, but it is much larger than regulated. He said that they could have an event that was less than 100-year event, and it could produce the same amount of flooding if there had been a previous fire in the same area. He said that fires change the infiltration rate of the soils in the forest.
The meeting recessed at 10:55 a.m.
5.
On-site Visit of the Rio de Flag Flood Control Project.
The meeting was reconvened at 11:00 a.m. on the NAIPTA bus and attendees visited various sites along the Rio de Flag project.
6.
Adjournment
The Special Work Session of the Flagstaff City Council held November 8, 2017, adjourned at 12:00 noon.
| ________________________________________ MAYOR |
|
| ATTEST: _______________________________________ CITY CLERK |