CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA CITY COUNCIL AGENDA Agenda Date: March 21, 2022 Action Required: Resolution (Appropriation, 1st of 2 Readings) Presenter: Andrea Henry, Water Resources Protection Program Administrator Staff Contacts: Jack Dawson, Department of Public Works Kristel Riddervold, Department of Public Works Krisy Hammill, Office of Budget and Performance Management Title: Appropriating Grant Funding in the Amount of $94,276 Received from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation Background: The City of Charlottesville has been awarded a second grant from the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF). The Governor and General Assembly established the fund in 2020 to assist communities in building resilience to the impacts of climate change, including floods. The CFPF is allocated 45 percent of the revenue Virginia generates through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, providing an estimated $75 million per year for the matching grant program. In December 2021, the City of Charlottesville received a Letter of Award for a CFPF grant totaling $94,276 from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for the development of a flood resilience plan for the City of Charlottesville. The funds are intended to support the development of a report that can identify vulnerabilities throughout the community and the facilitation of staff workshops across City Departments to develop mitigation strategies. The development of a DCR-approved resilience plan is a requirement for future project-based grant applications. The current grant award includes: CFPF Grant #21-02-32: Flood Protection and Prevention Study - $94,276 City matching funds are required for the grant of at least 25% of the total study cost, totaling $31,425, and have been identified from two funding sources. Staff hours, equivalent to $12,640, will make up a portion of the City’s match for the grant. The remaining portion of the City’s match will be covered by funds previously appropriated in the Stormwater Utility Fund as part of the administrative budget for consulting services for drainage related studies and/or projects. Discussion: Authorized grant funds will result in a City-wide Resilience Plan for improving flood protection and prevention in a whole community approach to resilience. Success will be measured through SMART Goals at the beginning of the project and will include: ✓ The Resilience Plan aligns with relevant City, regional, and state plans for community-scale and watershed-wide benefits.  The Plan includes an implementation strategy to connect funding to programmatic strategies and infrastructure projects in a consistent and responsible manner.  The Plan identifies how to develop resilience in a strategic, sustainable, and community-wide manner.  Development of the Plan includes a City-wide approach to reach as many stakeholders as possible.  The Plan optimizes return on investment. A consultant will co-create the plan at facilitated workshops with the City’s Resilience Team staff to increase staff expertise and capabilities. The City’s Team will involve staff from several departments to ensure stakeholders are invited to provide input and prospective on the Resilience Plan. Through invitation of participants from many departments, the project will also achieve widespread education of City staff regarding flood resilience. The resulting plan will include an implementation strategy identifying funding opportunities, a schedule for implementing programmatic strategies and infrastructure projects, and potential public and private partnerships. Funding opportunities may include capital funds, stormwater utility fees, loans, and grants including the Community Flood Preparedness Flood Fund, FEMA grants, non-governmental organization options, and others. The City will submit the plan to DCR for review and approval to be eligible to submit grant applications to fund design and construction of projects in future fund applications. Alignment with City Council’s Vision and Strategic Plan: The development of a flood resilience plan directly supports several strategic initiatives in the 2013 City of Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan (Environment): • 4.3: Assess infrastructure and prioritize solutions for the repair, upgrade, and improvement of the City’s stormwater infrastructure, utilizing green infrastructure when advisable. • 4.4: Identify and track stormwater hazards such as flooding and drainage problems that may threaten people and property and identify or establish funding to remedy or prevent safety hazards. Community Engagement: The resilience plan will be publicly available as an outreach tool to communicate the City’s approach to stormwater management. Programmatic solutions, including targeted community outreach, will be explored as potential flood mitigation and resilience strategies. Budgetary Impact: Grant funds will be appropriated and expended from a grants fund account. The $18,785 cash match for these grant awards will be allocated from previously appropriated funding in the City’s stormwater utility fund. Alternatives: Council may decline the grant. Recommendation: Staff recommends approval and appropriation of grant funds. Attachments (3): • Resolution • DCR Letter of Award • DCR Grant Agreement “I move the Resolution Appropriating $94,276 received from Virginia DCR for Flood Resiliency Planning, and Authorizing the City Manager to execute a Grant Agreement” RESOLUTION Appropriating grant funding in the amount of $94,276 received from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for development of a Flood Resilience Plan, and authorizing the City Manager to execute a Grant Agreement WHEREAS, the City of Charlottesville has been awarded $94,276 from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for the development of a flood resilience plan; and WHEREAS, the grant requires a local match in the amount of $31,425, which will be satisfied as follows: cash/contractual contribution in the amount of $18,855, to be contributed from funds previously appropriated for expenditure within the Public Works operational budget, and the value of in-kind staff hours ($12,640); NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, that upon receipt of the awarded grant funding from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the sum of $94,276 is hereby appropriated for expenditure within the Department of Public Works, for the development of a flood resilience plan, as follows: Revenues - $113,131 $94,276 Fund: 209 I/O: 1900454 G/L Account: 430110 $18,855 Fund: 209 I/O: 1900454 G/L Account: 498010 Expenditures - $113,131 $94,276 Fund: 209 I/O: 1900454 G/L Account: 599999 Transfers: $18,855 Fund: 641 Fund Center: 64111001000 G/L Account: 530670 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City Council hereby approves the terms of the grant agreement between the Virginia Resources Authority and the City of Charlottesville (CFPF-21-02-32) and authorizes the City Manager to execute the grant agreement and other related documents, requisitions or agreements, on behalf of the City; provided that the City Manager may delegate signature authority to a Deputy City Manager. City Council hereby further approves the in-kind staff contribution and cash local match described above.