City Council Meeting Date: February 20, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: David Bennett Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Consider Motion Authorizing Submittal of Downtown Flood Improvement Grants FMA-Flood Mitigation Assistance and BRIC-Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council Authorizes Submittal of Downtown Flood Improvement Grants FMA-Flood Mitigation Assistance and BRIC-Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities.
Summary Report:
The City, over the last 10 years, has had numerous flooding events of the Cannon River causing damages to properties and public infrastructure. Due to this, City Council approved an Advanced Assistance Grant with the State of MN Homeland and Emergency Management and hired Barr Engineering to perform the Downtown Flood Study.
On July 11, 2023 City Council accepted the Downtown Flood Study report and authorized staff to pursue grant funding. There are currently a couple programs FMA-Flood Mitigation Assistance and BRIC-Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities that the staff has prepared application for grants.
The proposed grants provide for a 75% Federal and 25% Local Match.
Area 1 - Floodwall Extension West side North of 4th Street Bridge (301 Water St., 207 Water St., 205 Water St.)
Project Cost - $4.0 Million
Grant Share - $3 Million
City Share Local Cost - $1 Million
Carleton - Stadium floodwall, and West Gym Closure
Project Cost - $2.7 Million
Grant Share - $2,025,000
Carleton Share - $675,000
Staff have spoken to Carleton College they have indicated support for funding the local match for the work on Carleton Property.
Area 2 - from the Downtown Flood Study on the east side North of 4th Street Bridge (11 Bridge Square, 13 Bridge Square) was another area to consider including in the grant. Staff spoke with the owner at 11 Bridge Square related to the dry flood proofing/window gates recommendation and the cost to potentially do that work versus at actual cost of the building. Since the cost of the work may be near the cost of the building it may not make that much sense to pursue this type of building modification. Staff has reached out multiply times to the owner of 13 Bridge Square but haven’t heard back from the owner. It would be necessary to have both 11 and 13 Bridge Square want to proceed in order to pursue dry floodproofing. Staff will continue to work with these owners on a potential solution.
Alternative Options:
Not submit, however staff believes in leveraging available funding.
Financial Impacts:
Shared above, the City’s local match would be from the Storm Water Fund
Tentative Timelines:
• Grant submittal due end of Feb. 2024
• Notice of grant award Fall of 2024