Title
Storm Water Program - FY20 Hazard Mitigation McDowell Farms
Action
ACTION:
(A) Accept the Offer of Sale of Real Estate from Mary Roeum and Bobby Nguyen, owners of property located at 6429 Mounting Rock Road, Charlotte, NC (tax parcel 167-221-57), for $242,000.
(B) Accept the Offer of Sale of Real Estate from I’John and Bria Gatewood, owners of property located at 6507 Mounting Rock Road, Charlotte, NC (tax parcel 167-221-63), for $200,000.
(C) Authorize local emergency response agencies to use the structures for training exercises.
Staff Contact: Tim Trautman, LUESA - Storm Water Services
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Since late 1999, Mecklenburg County has used storm water fee revenue to acquire flood prone property. Buyouts reduce the risk to life and property during floods, while also enhancing the natural and beneficial functions of the floodplain. During large rain events portions of the floodplain will become inundated. This natural flooding lowers the overall creek levels, slows erosive water, filters pollutants, and can reduce damage if people and property are not located in harms way. Mecklenburg County uses the land as open space, for expanding greenways, constructing wetlands, etc.
Storm Water Services selected the Mounting Rock Road parcels based on prioritization and recommendations in the Flood Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction Plan (Plan), adopted by the Board on May 1, 2012. The Plan uses detailed local data and state-of-the-art floodplain mapping to perform property-specific risk assessments, identify mitigation projects and set project priorities. This risk-based approach aids in identifying future flood mitigation acquisitions/projects.
Flood mitigation activity in the McDowell Farms neighborhood was endorsed by the Storm Water Advisory Committee for FY20. Neighborhood outreach began in May 2019 but implementation of the buyout program was delayed by staff response to the June 2019 Catawba River flooding. In October 2019 staff explored an opportunity to apply for a federal grant to fund some of the buyouts and communicated with residents. The grant opportunity materialized in March 2020. In the interim Storm Water Services began negotiations with those property owners that had a near term need to sell their property. If federal funding is awarded it is our intent to obtain reimbursement of Storm Water Capital Reserve expenditures from the grant.
The requested actions will consist of acquiring the properties and demolishing the existing buildings. The Mounting Rock Road purchase prices are based upon current fair market value appraisals. In all cases the owners have voluntarily offered to sell.
Storm Water Services staff allows local emergency response agencies the opportunity to train police and fire personnel prior to demolition of flood prone buildings. In addition, Storm Water Services staff has established a process with Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte to maximize the responsible reuse of materials prior to structure demolition while protecting the health of the community.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
$442,000 - Storm Water Services Capital Funds