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Home My WebLink AboutCC Minutes 2007-04-23 Special 04/23/2007 2694 STATE OF TEXAS )( CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD )( COUNTIES OF GALVESTON/HARRIS )( APRIL 23, 2007 )( MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE FRIENDSWOOD CITY COUNCtL THAT WAS HELD ON MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2007 AT 7:00 PM AT FRIENDSWOOD CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 910 SOUTH FRIENDSWOOD DRIVE, FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, WITH THE FOLLOWING PRESENT CONSTITUTING A QUORUM: MAYOR DAVID SMITH MAYOR PRO-TEM CHRIS PEDEN COUNCILMEMBER LAURA EWING COUNCILMEMBER JOHN LECOUR COUNCILMEMBER JIM HILL CaUNCILMEMBER JAY HORECKY COUNCILMEMBER MEL MEASELES CITY ATTORNEY JOHN OLSON CITY MANAGER BO MCDANIEL CITY SECRETARY DELORIS MCKENZIE Mayor Smith called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM 7:00 PM—SPECIAL MEETING Discussion was held with sponsors for a National Economic Development(NED) Plan for the Clear Creek Flood Control Project with United States Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District, Harris County Flood Control District, Dannenbaum Engineering, Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District and Brazoria County Drainage District No. 4. City Manager McDaniel introduced John ivey with Halff & Associates and his associate, Dwayne Hamilton, who has been hired by the City to review the Clear Creek Plan. Steve Fitzgerald with the Harris County Flood Control District introduced representatives from the Clear Creek Study Team which were Bob Heinly with United States Army Corps of Engineers, and sponsors Harris County Flood Control District, Mike Fitzgerald County Engineer with Galveston County and Mike Yost and Jeff Brennan with Brazoria Drainage District#4. Representatives spoke on NED Program and Overall Watershed Program, spoke on Clear Creek Federal Flood Damage Reduction Study — NED Alternative, overall Watershed perspective, reviewed the Watershed Management Plan, how do we get to the Watershed Management Plan, Corps Planning Process, the three E's, Engineering, Economics and Environmental, the planning steps that have been completed, Goals, Objectives, without-project expected annual damages financially, without-project profile, without-project floodplains, without-project environmental conditions, reviewed the planning steps needed, NED alternative and measures, NED benefits and costs, NED benefits: homes/businesses flooded, NED benefits change in flood levels, NED benefits 1% (100 year) change in flood levels with project main stem flood profile, NED benefits — Friendswood (Dixie Farm Road to W. Bay Area Blvd) Environmental Mitigation features and cut off meanders, ecosystem restoration opportunities, environmental enhancements features, NED plan strong points, Clear Creek Offline Detention, Clear Creek High Flow By-Pass and Inline Detention, Clear Creek High Flow Bench, Mud Gully Detention, Mud Gully Conveyance Improvements, Mud Gully expected annual damages, Turkey Creek conveyance improvements, Turkey Creek expected annual damages, Mary's Creek Detention, Mary's Creek Conveyance Improvements, Mary's Creek expected annual damages, Second Outlet Channel and Second Outlet change in flood levels, remaining project steps, 04/23/2007 2695 project schedule, sponsors initial response, what is next, Watershed Management Plan and contact information of the project team, estimated overall cost is $170 million dollars, sponsors cantinue to investigate options for funding, federally and locally, the plan that was presented at this meeting is on the website at www.clearcreek.com. Discussion was held regarding questions regarding environmental and eco-restoration, agencies are available that may be able to help with mitigation, can new information be added to plan, have to keep it static and keep plan on base-line, this plan maintains-0-base flood impact, how does the channelization help Friendswood, varying components help slow the movement of the water downstream, model information is available for assessment by any entity, need to have detention in place before conveyance, questioned planting trees in some channels, opportunity for eco-system, is right-of-ways available, concern in all watersheds, channelization in Friendswood dropped off the plan due to economics, if detention works would not need as much channelization,confusing about reforestation, City needs to look at details and get familiar with the plan and understand modeling, this plan is vastly improved from 10 years ago, work that has been done in Friendswood with detention, not in base plan but may be opportunity to use towards benefits, possibility will not be federally funded. City Manager Bo McDaniel stated we may want to look at flow of Clear Creek and impact 20-30 years, understand open to plan, need some effort to look at down the road, interest in independent review by City consultant, Drainage District has some questions, interested in looking at the modeling, project began over 40 years ago, has some major concerns, if plan agreeable locally, need to get an agreement from the local sponsors to get the water out of Friendswood, has to be something in this plan to benefit Friendswood. City Consultant, John ivey with Halff & Associates, stated that the Corps of Engineers had to have a starting point, some of the improvements from the City after Tropical Storm Allison is not included in the plan, storm surge is not in modeling and stated that he will be reviewing the data and will look at that impact. Mayor thanked everyone for bringing this very important information to Friendswood. A brief recess was held at this time. Mayor Smith welcomed everyone to the Council Meeting and introduced City Manager Bo McDaniel who introduced AI Flores with Dannenbaum Engineering who presented a PowerPoint presentation on the Clear Creek Floodway Remapping, TSARP, (Tropical Storm Allison Recovery Project) a joint FEMA and Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) mapping done to address the flooding by Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001 and possible funding for FEMA to change the floodway boundaries, preliminary FEMA FIRM Data, only applies to Harris County, reviewed typical cross section, TSARP floodway and issues, Friendswood floodway, beyond appeal process, fees and benefits, net total floodway reduction of 74 acres within the City of Friendswood, FEMA submittal fees, $42,610 and potential cost-sharing with some landowners, only recourse is to go to FEMA with letter of modification request, what would tax base benefit to City for developable property. Pat Black stated he is the owner of a 10 acre tract of property on Beamer Road, bought for future development, potentiaf tax from this one tract should net the City at least $30,000 in taxes, has a pre- development permit on this tract, bringing in fill dirt, that area is zoned commercial industrial, there is a lot of development going on in the area and is looking for additional demand that will filter into Friendswood, would be a wise investment for City of Friendswood to participate in the study. 04/23/2007 2696 Dan Rucker stated he is owner and developer of The Forest Subdivision and Golf Course, would be able to recover a portion of land for The Forest Subdivision, City does need to review modeling, Dannenbaum Engineering has done a good job in capturing the need for change, would like to see floodplain looked at as well at the floodway. Dan Johnson, former Director of Community Development for the City of Friendswood, stated he is excited to see this project moving forward, another property owner who is not here tonight is urging to move forward. Mayor Smith stated the consensus is to move forward. Mayor Smith asked for Council consensus to move this forward and direct the City Manager to gather the information and estimates from Dannenbaum Engineering that have been discussed, with Council concurring to do so. This meeting was adjourned at 9:21 PM. � . avid J.H. Smi h Attest: , � � _--� D loris cKenzie, TRMC City Secretary gR�lN� O� d'�, � c�+ �o * � a . ��rE� �,��►